lance,
Online learning is still growing as a quick rate, but I agree that there will continue to be a place for traditional and online learning. Some programs are certainly harder to offer online than others.
Herbert Brown III
I don't believe that online learning will replace the traditional classroom. Coming from a fine arts and design background, where most of my personal courses were studio courses, I believe there will always be a need and purpose for the physical classroom.
-Lance
Ruben,
I agree that online learning will continue to grow to meet the needs of our society, and recent reports sponsored by Sloan-C show that there is continued growth. But what about fields that require very specialized skills? How are the welders going to learn to weld virtually? Do you want a surgeon to work on you if they have only done virtual surgeries? Do you think all fields are conducive to online learning?
Herbert Brown III
I do believe eventually online learning will replace the traditional classroom. Mainly for the lack of time and additional responsibilites are young adults are faced with today. Many work odd hours or multiple jobs. Traditioanl classrooms have tried to adapt to these special hours but nowhere near the flexibility online learning provides. Online learning allows long distance learning as well. Many students can't leave home or their community so their options for higher education is limited to their environment. With online learning, any classroom can be accessed for anywhere with the right tools.
I think almost every class and course would benefit from online activities and resources. But as you say, there are many courses that require in the lab, real-life experiences that can't be duplicated online.
Kevin,
I believe online learning will grow, but what about areas that require extensive hands-on. Do you want a surgeon that has only completed online virtual dissections to work on you? What about a welder, they can learn how to do it online, but what about the actual skill?
Herbert Brown III
Janice,
I agree. I believe we will continue to see growth in the online area but it will not completely replace the traditional classroom. I like how you tied the fact that many certification exams are geared in similar ways to their online learning options.
Herbert Brown III
I don't think a computer can teach a student adequately, some face-to-face sessions are needed in my opinion. Online learning has a distinct advantage though, students are held to time frames and can see very quickly through discussion boards, quizzes and assignments that they can be successful.
Another advantage to online tests and quizzes, is that they mock the real certification and licensing tests most students need at the end. They are timed and all multiple choice.
For the most part yes. Below are my reasons why:
1. Online learning scales well and is more cost effective.
- This is especially true with fully automated elearning which can be scaled to any number of students
2. Online learning does not require the expense of buildings and transportation.
3. Online learning does not require that students and teachers be on the same continent much less the in the same city.
4. Its easier to measure the success of online learning.
I would say the most important reasons above are that its cheaper. This will be the true driver of students online, as we see from the free M.I.T. classes and other online learning sources.
Donte,
I agree that online and traditional environments will continue. I believe online will continue to grow, there is a demand from learners for the flexibility of online learning.
Herbert Brown III
I disagree with that idea, although there are many more students interested in online learning I find there is still a strong desire for the traditional learning setting. I feel that more traditional schools will offer more online learning options but online schools will provide a strong presence.
Sandra,
I do see a continued growth in online teaching and learning. I also agree that aspects such as telemedicine, which has actually been around many years, suggest that areas such as medicine can have online elements. Let me play devil's advocate....we can do virtual dissections on frogs in science....taking that to the next step, do you want a surgeon who has only completed "virtual" simulated surgeries to actually do your next surgery?
Herbert Brown III
Sandra,
I still don't believe it will replace the traditional classroom in the immediate future; however, the trend is still growing. What has been primarily a higher education focus for most online learning, it is now moving quickly into the K-12 education markets.
Herbert Brown III
At the college level, it is not expected that online learning will replace traditional classroom delivery of instruction. There are several reasons that prevent this. First, there are specific disciplines and classes that do not it online instruction such as laboratory classes. For example, engineering experiments and sciences classes need to be done in a laboratory. The second reason is that there are many students who do not see that online classes are appropriate for them. Although high speed internet and using multimedia advanced techniques can make a class as real as a physical class, the personal meeting is the most important aspect for some students.
I would see that online learning will continue to complement traditional classroom delivery of instruction.
Hi,
I just brought up telemedicine. I have a family member approaching retirement age who just switched from face to face on his feet all day to doing the same on the phone. Insurance companies are promoting this too. I'm not saying this is the best answer for personal healthcare but it seems to be a fast growing trend.
I disagree. Who would have thought Art/Design could be taught online? For instance, I find online student work in drawing classes to be just as competent as ground, and accomplished in less time. Online and ground are two different worlds but in the fast pace of success driven individuals online is gaining momentum in the hands on careers too.
Interesting questions, and answers. I may sound radical in predicting a total flip to online learning from traditional classrooms. I think this will happen in the next 10 years.(Most say 20 years, my bet is on 10.) Many high schools are already going this route. I think online will be the primary learning venue and traditional classrooms will become remedial centers. Is there need for huge costly college campuses anymore?
You mention doctors, even in this field more and more patient care is being offered by phoning in or speaking to a physician online. I've noticed some of the consumer driven insurance companies offing similar services for members.
I enjoy teaching both online and in a traditional setting but see online becoming the preferred mode in the near future.
My thoughts on Online learning
EL102
Facilitator: Herbert Brown III
By Randall Aungst
12/20/2012
Discussion Question:
Online learning will eventually replace traditional classroom delivery of instruction? Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
Response:
This is a provocative question because there are several issues that must be taken into account. The issues that must be discussed are the desired degree, assignment vs. testing formats, online platform and industry bias. These four issues play a critical part in forming an opinion regarding online learning.
The first issue is the desired degree. This becomes an issue because there are several types of degrees that require a live presence and interaction. In my opinion these degrees include;
•Higher scientific degrees such as biology and anthropology due to the fact that these degrees require an understanding and practical experience of procedures in the field and in the lab to ensure professional standards.
•Medical practice of any sort due to the fact that hands on work and practice in the classroom lab environment is vital.
•Emergency Response for the same aforementioned reason.
•Skilled trades again for the aforementioned reasons.
This leave only intellectual degrees, in my opinion, that would be appropriate for online environments such as business, psychology, mathematics and math based sciences, private and public administrative degrees and so on. While these examples are naming just a few the point is that there are certain degrees that just need supervised hands on exposure.
Assignment based vs. test based approaches is the second issue to be addressed. I may be bias because I have attended both brick and mortar as well as online universities utilizing both test and assignment based learning formats. In my experience the assignment based learning format is best in a vast majority of learning situations with a few exceptions such as mathematics, science and medicine. This is due to the fact that these three areas, unlike other areas of study, require specific and precise prior knowledge of non-interpretation based facts. In other words 1+1=2 does not require interpretation or inspiration just the understanding that it is true. Assignment based learning is better for any learning that is designed to increase creative thinking, interpretive trains of thought and process based vs. practical based understanding. At least with the people I have spoken with as well as myself who have experienced each type of environment we felt we were much further ahead and had a greater understanding of the subject matter after an assignment based program than after a test based program.
The online platform is the next issue that needs addressing. I have attended a few online institutions, all with good reputations. My experiences indicate that a well thought out and highly interactive online platform is critical to the success of the student. The platforms that I found most successful were the ones that facilitated a large amount of live, with archived backups, interactive opportunities where the student could interact live with the instructor and other students in attendance. This supports the feeling that “no man is an island†and that we are all in this together, not alone. In my opinion this is essential for online learning environments.
Finally the issue of industry bias must be addressed. This issue is beginning to change but it will take time. Many leaders of business, industry and politics have no appreciation or understanding of online studies. Their experience is purely with brick and mortar traditional environments. As such they have a negative bias regarding online learning, discounting it in many cases as bogus. Until the high achievers in online environments are able to disprove this train of thought or the current leaders are replaced through attrition this will continue to be a roadblock for the online student.
To conclude it is my opinion that while online learning will never totally replace traditional environments it will continue to gain in popularity and improve on quality. Having said that it will be some time before the online environment will be viewed on par with traditional environments.
Just food for thought.
Randall Aungst
Tony,
I like that your resource board is designed to allow students to share references with other students. This begins them toward building a sense of community and working through issues together - teamwork.
Herbert Brown III
Enhancement in this context has always meant to me to use real life personal experiences, research and other vignette's which can be linked through to the students learning experience via the online modality.
I have used a hybrid model in classes as a repository for references and resources to support the courses I have taught. A place that topic specific information could reside in an organized fashion.
I always include a little thing called an Optional Resource Board in my onground and online classes for students to share reference's and resources as well. It really serves a great purpose to the learners.
