Jan 13 2009
I Don’t Like Online Classes!
Why would people NOT like online classes?
How is this possible?
Isn’t this the ultimate in flexibility?
All the schools offer Online Learning!
Online Education is the Best isn’t it?
Well maybe people don’t like online classes because the ones they see offered, or the one they took last semester was CRAP.
I am not an insider in Academia, so I don’t know how it responds to technology. BUT when I was taking classes for my Post secondary Teaching Certification I got a peek into the world of Academia and I made some interesting observations.
My background in manufacturing has taken me many places. I have worked in the semiconductor world, and it is the height of technology in all aspects of the business.
I think that Academia is 5 - 10 years behind in the technology world. Therefore many of the tools of technology that are used everyday in a “technology company” are only being used by the Academic “early adopters”. (I think that’s us on Today.com)
I see a “bandwagon” approach here. Online teaching is a buzzword that seems to have been grasped by Academia of late and they are running with it. All the colleges now seem to offer online classes. Because of the lag in Academic technology acceptance and use, the implementation of some of these so called Online courses can be pretty poor.
Nevertheless a poorly done course is a poorly done course whether online or f2f. (as Dr. Bob told us in our Online Teaching Class)
Until this technology gap is narrowed I think we will continue to see some poor examples presented as “online learning”. Thus the response of the students “I don’t like online classes.”
I will do my best in Online Teaching to make the course engaging and useful for the student. Online Learning is in it’s early stages, and I feel there is much for teachers as well as students to learn. I don’t think that many of the Institutions that offer online classes really know what they are, let alone how they should be taught. They are just on the Bandwagon with everyone else.
I don’t have any solutions to this dilemma, but as the next generation moves into the world of teaching we will see the gap close. Maybe some of the issues will work themselves out, and maybe they won’t. I guess we shall see. As Educators that utilize technology it is up to us to lead.
-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com
http://theteachingbox.com
Loren, thanks for talking about the pros and cons of online education. You bring up many fair points. Indeed, the technology can be a bit poor or basic when it comes to most online schools. However, the good news is that there are now companies who specialize in creating the technology platforms for the colleges to use. This is the glory of capitalism and new business.
One thing I would suggest to students who take online classes is to really take the time to provide productive, constructive feedback to the schools when they have “feedback” tools or end-of-term surveys. I can’t believe how many students skip these options when it is often the only way to make suggestions about the course. And believe me, the schools do listen and read every single one of those surveys or feedback submissions. It’s a bit like a student’s way of “voting.”
Thanks for keeping the conversation going about this and other important teaching topics.
–Kim
OnlineProfessor.today.com
Thanks for the comment Prof. Kim!
The interesting I have is that the college where I did my PostSecondary Teaching Certification uses Blackboard as the CMS. Most of the professors just use the default values when they place course material online. The prof that teaches the Online Teaching Class utilizes all the customization features and takes Blackboard to the next level. When students log onto his course the first time, they think he is using some other system. I guess my point is that as educators, especially online we need to understand how to use the technology to the best of it’s ability. I will have an upcoming post on my thoughts about Course Management Systems.
-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com
Blackboard could do a lot better when it comes to offering HELP for teachers using their platform.
I have been stymied by simple little things more than once - and I am a computer programmer (among other things)