While online schools offer a viable option to learnings who cannot, for a variety of reasons, attend a traditional "bricks and mortar" school, online learning will surely never replace the traditional learning environment. There are indeed benefits to online learning, e.g., accessibility and flexibility, but nothing can replace the personal interaction between students and instructors in real-time, face-to-face, in a classroom. Luckily, our current educationl landscape provides for both options, and this combination only serves to offer more options to more learners.
Margarette,
I to too! I actually have taken my online resources to my f2f courses and it has made them better. That is just good teaching. Nice post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
LaBoore,
It will be interesting how the MOOCs affect education. Will we be driven by credit hours in the future? Only time will tell . . . .
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Alison,
You are right. Online learning does empower many students that were just spectators in the f2f classroom!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Wenda,
I think that is happening! There are virtual high schools everywhere. It concerns me that it is being compared to f2f high schools except students can take "what they want" (sorry this is my personal opinion)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I've taught for 23 years now, and for the past 10 I've worked in online environments, so I've been in it since the early days. The evolution has been amazing. Many of the tools created for online learning environments work very well in f2f classes. I mean who of us doesn't use Blackboard in f2f? (That's a bit hyperbolic, I know. I have colleagues who never use it. And oddly, it's usually the young ones! The grad students don't want to use it. This confuses me, but then I'm one of the converted.)
That said, I don't think online education can ever replace f2f classes. I would truly prefer my nurses and PTs and so on to have some f2f work before they start working on me! Chemistry labs and many other labs can not work online. Too costly for one reason. Dangerous, too.
But for many courses f2f is wonderful. I mostly teach writing online, the bread and butter courses for English professors), but I've taught literature courses from intros to Master's seminars online and I know for my discipline, it works wonderfully.
It's popular with students, as well. I was asked to teach an online grad seminar at a school that did very little online teaching. Most grad seminars have 8-10 students. My class had 30, and I know it wasn't for me--I was a visiting professor with no "rep" with the students. It was the online environment.
But finally, online courses aren't for everyone. Many students need to have face to face time. Even a phone call won't do for them.
So my final analysis is that we'll see more and more online courses, but certain departments and majors will have fewer. And all departments at ground schools will have to have some sections f2f, at least in the next generation of students.
*gets off soapbox and scurries away*
Allison, I agree with you so much! This last term was an amazing eye opener. In one of those things life throws at us, I had five deaths around me in one week, and one was a close friend. I posted to my students that I might be a little less quick to answer phone calls because of memorials, etc. The outpouring of support I received was palpable. And humbling.
I enjoy my time with my students, and I think that's part of it. It's becoming my favorite method of teaching.
I see a number of people here who have switched to teaching solely online. As a person who lives as an adjunct, I am tempted to take this route.
I would love to hear from people who do this. Is it indeed a viable option? How difficult is it to juggle?
Billie, I give my students my cell number, too. Colleagues and often office staff are sometimes aghast, but 23 years in (regular phones at the beginning!), never have I had an abusive situation.
Once a student on the west coast forgot I live on the east coast, but was horribly apologetic about it.
The nice side benefit if students having my phone? I have gotten lovely text messages long after classes end--graduation announcements, holiday greetings, even just "I miss yous". Those are the golden moments of teaching, no?
I definitely think there are some courses that are so much more effective online. As a writing teacher, I'm a booster of online writing classes. I know my students get more of me (in terms of feedback) online than f2f. As a result, I incorporate more and more of my online teaching skills in my f2f work.
I think that that online schools will replace some traditional brick and mortar schools just because the market has changed.
In the past, the typical student went to college after graduating from high school. Nowadays, more college students have families, are older, or simply attending school for a career change. The online environment makes it more convenient because students are able to "log on" into school when it is convenient.
I never thought that I would witness the top B schools doing this, but even Harvard has online classes that its students can take but not receive credit.
I never thought teaching online would be as great as it is. I am continually amazed at the relationships I develop with my students and the relationships they build with each other. They seem to feel safer participating in class in an online environment.
I think so. I wonder for home schooling (elementary students), will the future have more online teaching for them? Hmm. Just a thought.
Debra,
LOVE your answer! I agree with your observation. It concerns me more with virtual k-12.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dawn,
Yes, It think we will see more blended courses, the problem is that our traditional higher ed models are conducive to them. Just my two cents. . . .
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I personally don't see online classes replacing F2F. Both appeal to students for different reasons. From the instructor's standpoint,I've instructed in both settings and I am now teaching and preferring online. The flexibility it allows me is a major factor. There are students that prefer being accountable to someone F2F everyday. Students feel they can't and won't stay focused and will become easily distracted if they are to attempt schooling from home. Then there are the students who say they would not be able to attend, if not for the online program, because they lack the finances, time constraints, location, and the need for childcare, just to name a few.
Do you see a rise in blended courses? That would make sense.
Wenda,
Yes, I think you are right, the perfect medium between the two may be blended. I am not sure, but it can use the best of both worlds.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dawn,
Great answer! I think in the future is may be somewhere in between f2f and online. . . maybe blended?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I can still remember the impact some of my f2f professors had on me. They had a way of connecting with students and encouraging us to expand our minds.
I am not certain where the future will lead, but I think a collaboration of the two (online & f2f) would be a great idea. I would enjoy having the flexibility to teach online and the interaction of sitting in the same room (with classmates & a professor). To have the best of both worlds would be an interesting concept.
I have learned so much from my online students and have so much fun with my f2f students. Do you think the next wave of learning will be a collaboration of the two?
-To have students in a physical classroom and the teacher on a monitor.
- Or holding class on Tuesday in a building and Thursday online.
I don't know what the future will bring, but I would personally miss f2f classes (if they were to become a thing of the past).
Although I think this would be a great lifestyle for faculty and work with the many student's busy lives I also think it is not wise to encourage everyone to take online classes. I took some classes online in my Masters program and I was required to take a quiz/assessment that tested me whether or not I was ready to take online classes. I think the dedication and commitment required in this environment is not for everyone. Some students do better in a traditional classroom. That being said online environments are mimicking the face to face more and more and it is very possible the student who craves the very things that are evident in one will in fact have them in their online classes. If this is the case then yes, perhaps that is the future of the University.
