Spring Break
Up close quality
Jason M. Wallace
Issue date: 6/17/09 Section: Opinion
This summer session has given me my first experience with online classes.
While there are several qualities that make this type of classroom setting appealing, I feel that traditional classrooms provide the best experience and a greater possibility to learn the most from one class.
Due to the growing availability of the Internet, several features make online education seem more appealing than traditional classrooms. First, as long as your personal computer is equipped to handle the Internet and whatever programs that are used in class, then you never have to leave the house.
With e-mail communication and a detailed syllabus, the classroom can be taken anywhere and can work with any schedule in order to meet all deadlines, both inside and outside of the classroom. This constantly updating and scheduled environment allows the class to move at its designed pace. I have been in many classes on campus that have fallen behind schedule a week to a month's worth of material due to either teacher error or lack of student comprehension.
I have also noticed that online classes still want to create a sense of student participation by having students post responses about their assignments online. This allows for all members of the classroom to have their voices heard.
However, this brings me to why I believe that online education is just a revved up but poorly constructed version of the traditional method.
While the classroom is simulated with posted assignments and posted student responses, an online class can feel like it is lacking immediate attention.
Personally, I feel that assigned student responses create a superficial student. It is good that it keeps a student active in an online class; however, a passing response could take little effort to form, thus making the discussion void of any decent content. Secondly, the distance between the students and professor create two major problems.
A student with an emergency question will have to wait for the professor to return to his or her computer and reply to their e-mail. This distance also creates a lack of fast-paced classroom discussion.
Online discussions, from what I have experienced with previous Blackboard classes, feels like a forced response to systematic questioning. On campus, classroom discussions feel more voluntary and open. Also, they can carry on faster and can change directions almost instantly.
Finally, if you have to go to a library or use a friend's computer because your machine cannot load certain files, then the independence gained from online classes is certainly lost.
Traditional, on-campus classrooms satisfy a sense of intimacy between the teacher and students, and between a student and their peers. Why spend so much money on an education to learn from your bedroom when the professionals can profess their knowledge to you up close and personal?
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
While there are several qualities that make this type of classroom setting appealing, I feel that traditional classrooms provide the best experience and a greater possibility to learn the most from one class.
Due to the growing availability of the Internet, several features make online education seem more appealing than traditional classrooms. First, as long as your personal computer is equipped to handle the Internet and whatever programs that are used in class, then you never have to leave the house.
With e-mail communication and a detailed syllabus, the classroom can be taken anywhere and can work with any schedule in order to meet all deadlines, both inside and outside of the classroom. This constantly updating and scheduled environment allows the class to move at its designed pace. I have been in many classes on campus that have fallen behind schedule a week to a month's worth of material due to either teacher error or lack of student comprehension.
I have also noticed that online classes still want to create a sense of student participation by having students post responses about their assignments online. This allows for all members of the classroom to have their voices heard.
However, this brings me to why I believe that online education is just a revved up but poorly constructed version of the traditional method.
While the classroom is simulated with posted assignments and posted student responses, an online class can feel like it is lacking immediate attention.
Personally, I feel that assigned student responses create a superficial student. It is good that it keeps a student active in an online class; however, a passing response could take little effort to form, thus making the discussion void of any decent content. Secondly, the distance between the students and professor create two major problems.
A student with an emergency question will have to wait for the professor to return to his or her computer and reply to their e-mail. This distance also creates a lack of fast-paced classroom discussion.
Online discussions, from what I have experienced with previous Blackboard classes, feels like a forced response to systematic questioning. On campus, classroom discussions feel more voluntary and open. Also, they can carry on faster and can change directions almost instantly.
Finally, if you have to go to a library or use a friend's computer because your machine cannot load certain files, then the independence gained from online classes is certainly lost.
Traditional, on-campus classrooms satisfy a sense of intimacy between the teacher and students, and between a student and their peers. Why spend so much money on an education to learn from your bedroom when the professionals can profess their knowledge to you up close and personal?
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mr. Jones
posted 6/17/09 @ 2:14 PM EST
I have to say that this piece was like online Ambien.
And now for my retort card on whether actual classes are better than virtual ones. For the answer, I'll flip to the back of the book. (Continued…)
Post a Comment