July 10, 2010
To the editor:
As a result of readily available, new communications technology, there is a quiet, revolution in education under way but no one appears to be looking at its long-range impact. Hundreds in the Fairbanks area, perhaps thousands worldwide, are participating. Students at the graduate, undergraduate and secondary level are enrolling in online courses, some taking enough online classes to complete certification or degree requirements without attending a traditional campus class.
Many students want easy, fast courses. If one selection appears too difficult, time-consuming or challenging, students can Google and find a simpler equivalent course. To stay competitive in student enrollment, will designers of online courses develop less stringent instruction standards or introduce lower-quality courses to meet students’ desire for quick, minimal-effort classes?
For instant feedback, some courses have automated correction and grading of lessons, eliminating the need for a human instructor. Fifty years hence, will more students be involved in online schooling than in the classroom? Will hallowed walls covered with ivy be replaced by an anonymous bank of computers located in some unspecified place and tended by a few technicians, not one of whom is a specialist in the subjects the computers provide? Will future education become isolated and unstructured? Will large faculties, cohesive student bodies or library stacks be relics of the past?
Texting and e-mail messaging are already changing long-standing English composition practices. English is a living language, and each generation makes alterations to it. Today, paragraph organization, sentence structure, accuracy in grammar, customary spelling and conventional word choice are falling into disuse. A new Babel is arising as each of us creates shortcuts in personal communications. The silent revolution in education is shifting the direction of our civilization.
http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf
What Rosy is describing is called a 'correspondence course' and they have been around since the invention of snail mail.
Do some simple research people. It's not hard, and it can help keep you from sounding like the tard' you are.
AP
True, there are some "mills" out there that give you less than more, but even if the uninformed stumble into a less than reputable online school, it that better or worse than no education at all?
What I worry about is "schools" that have an agenda. They are not unlike the "abortion clinics" that perform no abortions whatsoever, provide no assistance beyond birth and feel very satisfied that they are doing the "right thing".
With that said, I don't see online courses replacing brick and mortar schools. There will always be a need for interaction with a real human instructor, especially in vocational and technical fields. It's the interaction that answers questions and nurtures real learning.
I have tried to emphasize the importance of transition classes, being made available to high school students, for a couple of decades now. I've actively petitioned Government representatives for the past five years. It has all been for not! A good portion of Alaskans, feel that we don't need to provide any such education opportunities for our children. They all think that our current education system is just fine and we don't need to rock the boat.
Perhaps that could even be true, if our children stay in Alaska and don't care about being competitive on a National or World Wide basis. Why though, would any parent want to restrict the educational growth of their own children? With the distance education available through UAF, we don't have to worry about second rate internet classes that are dumbed down for the sake of ease! These would be quality courses offered by a quality institution. Our high School students would benefit from being able to access these courses from any where in the State, thus relieving much of the isolation issues. Courses could be offered that the teachers in remote places, may not be qualified to teach. No student should be held at a disadvantage because of where they live. It's the transition from secondary to post secondary education that is the important issue here! How many students from high school, fail to qualify for college level classes and have to spend time in developmental education courses in order to get up to the level they should have graduated with? Don't make classes easier. It's the challenge that gives education the real meaning!
I've taken on-line courses that were every bit as rigorous on English composition as a classroom course. I've also taken some that were not. Then again, I've taken classroom courses where I thought the instructor needed a course in English.
As long as the standards are kept high, on-line courses can be as good as traditional classroom courses.
I prefer classroom instruction myself, but I've learned a lot in on-line courses that were not available in Fairbanks.
But I do agree with the writer about texting and emailing. Really, I know it takes more effort, but we should try to use English while using writing to communicate, even if it is in a text message.
I enjoyed the letter, agreed with some points (at the end), but feel the author lumped everyone into a category of trying to take "the easy way out" of getting a degree simply by taking online classes. In my personal experience, this just isn't true. Many students I've come across have refused to take online courses simply because they're not motivated enough. As danav stated, not everyone can be self-sufficient to work through an online or distance course on their own because they need constant supervision or reminders of due dates or need the interaction.
Close to half of my classes for my BA in Psychology were online- it wasn't because I was lazy, but because I was working full time and going to school full time. If online classes weren't available, I wouldn't have received my degree when I had. It also helps when you need to take specific courses, and they are only held on the same days/times- taking it online has sometimes been the only way to get those classes done.
It is vitally important that anyone seeking online schooling research the school/program to ensure proper accreditation and that the school is actually a school, and not just a diploma mill.
Don't be afraid of that which is new and not completely understood. Online degrees, provided they are not from a diploma mill, are just as valid as other universities.
Prospective employees generally provide employers with a resume or application of some sort. If "Bob's House O' Online Classes" doesn't clue you in, then maybe you shouldn't be doing the hiring.
In short, the sky is not falling.