|
|
ONLINE COURSES, A WAY OF LEARNING OR
NOT?
By Richard
Petz
An alternative to a traditional college education has appeared in the technology world, and the future looks to online courses.
Opinions of the new class style are in, but it is hard to say what the future will bring and if the university as we know it is a thing of the past.
Online courses can be a class that you take at your own leisure and email the work in when done, or a sophisticated course that allows you to see streaming video of your teacher, and share your comments or questions in a chat room like forum.
These courses can be looked at as a way of improving the level of learning, specifically among college students who no longer have to wakeup and drudge across a campus that might not be experiencing prime Frisbee weather conditions.
Although many students learn more efficiently in a home environment on their own time, many require the structure that a traditional classroom affords. Some students enjoy the relationships that can develop between them and a favorite professor.
It is clear that the class without a classroom will be less costly to students and schools alike. It is a personal question to whether online courses are the right choice for you.
Kim Sabellico, a Marist College senior studying Education feels that online courses, “Lessen the social aspect of learning.” There has been no real research at this point to prove or disprove whether online courses work. Professor Peggy Minnis, wrote in a New York Times article entitled, “Teaching in Your Pajamas: Lessons of Online Classes,” “The discussion board was lively, with submissions posted at all hours.”
Minnis also wrote that 5 of her 25 students for her online undergraduate environmental science course, “fell behind, tried to catch up, then drifted away.” She concluded that online courses, like hers provided too much flexibility for some students.Bethann Bark, PhD, visiting professor, media arts, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY said that the advantages to teaching in a traditional classroom are evident.
“I know instantly when my students get it, (the information) or if I have to reword it in a different way. You have to run that risk.”
Although Bark likes the idea of online courses she does not think that it can ever really substitute the university system that has been developed in our country.
Another use for online courses is for pure geographic reasons. Some students might prefer to have a degree from a university that they are not willing or cannot afford to travel to. Courses that do not have a specific lecture time can allow more people to go back to school after they have already entered the workforce.
Although it seems that the online course is not going away, it is also unclear whether the college/university system will change into something completely different.