Once Upon A Time…
I was sitting in a meeting recently and heard a faculty
member from well respected research university say that the reason they have
not offered online classes in their division is because the “faculty can not
come to agreement on online efficacy.”
He went on to say that they have been talking about it for a few years
but just can agree that you can provide quality education online.
This is not the first time I have heard this type of
statement. As a matter of fact, I
actually hear it fairly regularly. It
may be masked as: students can easily
cheat online, how do I know that the student at the other end of the computer
is really who they say they are, student success rates in online classes are
not as good, etc.
It is about 6:45am and my wife and son are sleeping. I am drinking some coffee and musing about this
idea of online education. Is it really
online classes that are the problem or the people we choose to develop them and
teach them that are the problem? Are the
faculty that choose to teach them doing it because they believe in it OR
because it provides flexibility in their schedule? Maybe they do it because they think it will
be easier.
Comparison of the naysayer….
Once upon a time:
(Anna) Hey Billy, look at that boat sailing out there
towards the sun.
(Billy) Wow Anna, the better turn around soon.
(Anna) No kidding.
They are getting awfully close to the edge.
(Anna) I don’t think
they know it drops off.
(Billy) There they
go. It’s like the 5th one we
have seen this month.
(Anna) You would
think they would put up a fence or something.
(Billy) Some people
just gotta learn the hard way.
(Julia) I couldn’t
help but overhear your conversation.
What if it’s round?
(Anna & Billy) ????
Once upon a time remix:
(Anna) Hey Billy, look at those students about to sign up
for online classes.
(Billy) Wow Anna,
they better change to in-person classes soon.
(Anna) No
kidding. They are getting awfully close
to the start of the semester.
(Anna) I don’t think
they know how the success rates drop off.
(Billy) There they
go. It’s like the 500th one
we have seen this month.
(Anna) You would
think they would block enrollment or something.
(Billy) Some people just gotta learn the hard way.
(Julia) I couldn’t
help but overhear your conversation.
What if online works?
(Anna & Billy) ????
Online classes are here whether we like them or not. It is our responsibility as educators to
ensure they work. This means academic
rigor, student learning, and student success while maintaining the flexibility
that online offers. We have to be
prepared for the learners of the future.
They are learning in ways we never imagined.
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