In my field, Quality Systems Management, most of the theory can be taught completely on-line. However, one of the most significant aspects of the program I work in is the real-time and personal collegial discussions that occur in the classroom. I have been on Discussion/Forum Boards and in chat rooms, but there is something about face-to-face interchange that stimulates differently. I want to become more proficient in teaching/facilitating on-line courses because I really do see great advantages when potential students cannot be in one location.
Jennie
As an online instructor I can say yes. Mathematical and statistical courses are difficult to teac online since you must demonstrate theorems and proofs. These courses may be better taught in an interactive environment where the instructor can gauge understanding. Certainly, as technology develops, even these courses may find a home online.
I agree, Charles. I have shared below some of my experiences and thoughts on this question.
My sincere apologies for the delay in responding. I was away last week in the U.S. to conduct training. I alloted yesterday to respond; however, I experienced problems with my ISP.
I have worked with quite a few universities to launch online programs in the field of Health sciences. Among these are Sargent College of Boston University who have launched a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy and a Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy. Then there are Vanderbilt University and George Washington University who have launched programs in Health Care Management. George Washington University has launched an MBA in Health Care Management. The Vanderbilt Program is geared more towards Nurses who want to pursue management positions.
Not all courses can be taught online in totality. The achievement of the competencies relevant to certain professions often requires face-to-face sessions aw well as laboratory exercises that require the use of actual systems and equipment. While hands-on can be monitored by videocam technology, having learners engage in the psychomotor skills necessary to verify that they can actually perform the tasks on-the-job remains vital. I have worked with one institution of which one of its colleges refused to place its program online because it was felt that the credibility of the program would suffer. The field here is Pharmacology and Health Sciences. This is quite understandable as one of the concerns expressed was how comfortable potential employers would be about hiring a professionals in this field who have taken their academic programs online.
Then again, I have worked with Institutions who have launched MBA online programs in which students complete the theory-based content as well as research activities—even group projects from a distance before they participate in a few weeks learning activities on site at the university.
So, Charles, in conclusion, your judgment is correct; not all courses lend themselves well to online learning.
I think that practical classes such as Personal Training or Emergency Medical Technician classes can be hard to teach online. For the book and content material it would be a little easier but for the practical evaluation of skills I would think that it would be hard for an individual to grasp what they are doing. It is also hard to receive the proper instruction on how to do things correctly or how not to do things.
I agree. With the advent of e-learning, some institutions strive to place all courses of programs online; even though, as you pointed out, the content of some courses may not lend itself to the requisite instructional treatment to facilitate meaningful learning experiences in an online environment. The end result in such situations is that those institutions receive course evaluation results which point to student dissatisfaction.
On the other hand, I have worked with Instructors in the Pharmacology and Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and similar fields who adopt a combination of on-the-ground classroom delivery and online learning.
Now having said this, one has to examine the primary reason for some Institutions placing the entire program online. The primary reason seems to be driven by increasing enrollments by reaching out to a wider geographical audience, at the national as well as the international level. The hybrid approach is successful an institution targets students who live within reasonable traveling distance to the institution.
Of course, some argue that modern telecommunication technologies, video-conferencing, for example, can approximate the learning experience of classroom environments. I do not believe so as the adoption of some of these technologies introduce factors which work against one of the main proponents of online learning—the ability to participate in learning activities at any time once one has access to the Internet. The human presence in a traditional classroom environment is essential to promote a wide range of learning outcomes that cannot be successfully replicated nor measured in an online environment.
In conclusion, I want to share with you a decision one Dean of one institution with whom I worked made when he was given the mandate to place his entire program online. He maintained that the credibility of his program will suffer. I agreed with him because we were looking at a professional degree in healthcare, the learning outcomes of which were primarily performance-based rather than knowledge-based.
I have been teaching Economics online for over 5 years, and while my discipline does lend itself to online instruction, I am fully aware that not all disciplines/topics should be delivered entirely online. There are some topics that are much more effectively conveyed in a live environment. Many such disciplines have begun combining methods, with hybrid courses that involve both online interaction and live attendance. When possible, this is an ideal structure to facilitate adult learning and/or career training.
Your message of Introduction to me clarifies the position you have taken in regards to the question being addressed. The hybrid approach to teaching content of the nature of your courses is the best.
I have worked with quite a few universities to launch online programs in the field of Health sciences. Among these are Sargent College of Boston University who have launched a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy and a Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy. Then there are Vanderbilt University and George Washington University who have launched programs in Health Care Management. George Washington University has launched an MBA in Health Care Management. The Vanderbilt Program is geared more towards Nurses who want to pursue management positions.
Not all courses can be taught online in totality. The achievement of the competencies relevant to certain professions often requires face-to-face sessions aw well as laboratory exercises that require the use of actual systems and equipment. While hands-on can be monitored by videocam technology, having learners engage in the psychomotor skills necessary to verify that they can actually perform the tasks on-the-job remains vital. I have worked with one institution of which one of its colleges refused to place its program online because it was felt that the credibility of the program would suffer. The field here is Pharmacology and Health Sciences. This is quite understandable as one of the concerns expressed was how comfortable potential employers would be about hiring a professionals in this field who have taken their academic programs online.
Then again, I have worked with Institutions who have launched MBA online programs in which students complete the theory-based content as well as research activities—even group projects from a distance before they participate in a few weeks learning activities on site at the university.
So, Marcia, in conclusion, your judgment is correct; not all courses lend themselves well to online learning.
I was of the opinion until just recently. I have reviewed a text for online courses for health sciences. I was amazed that the Univ of Maryland School of Nursing has online teaching and the text discussed how even hands-on were monitored by videocam and live web conferencing. If it is good enough for them, it is good enough for what I teach and I will be following their model closely.
