College courses have gone digital in every possible way. Now you can turn in papers by email, hold online discussions with other students in your classes, and even submit group work…all without leaving the comfort of your home computer. Convenient, yes, but is this really a good thing? When I was asked recently to write an essay on the pros and cons of Distance Learning, it made me wonder: What are we gaining and what are we losing by taking classes online?
Among UB students recently there has been uprising regarding a Writing 300 class which is a “combo” class, meaning half-online, half-in class. From what I’ve gathered, the amount of material and coursework the student is asked to complete is double that which you would find in a typical class. So why split the class? I can guess that the administration felt it would be a good way to cover the most required coursework in the shortest amount of time. But the students are frustrated, feeling as though they can’t keep up with what they are being asked to produce.
This need for more quantity leads to less quality in the classroom. I think that what we lose by taking classes online is the inter-personal communication which happens between students and teachers in the classroom. These communication skills are a necessity for students while in school but even more so in the workplace after graduating. Every company looks to hire a graduate with good social skills. There has to be a happy medium.
So what options do we have? Provide “webcam only” courses where discussions and lectures are held by students with webcams with live-feed? Refine these “combo” courses by asking students what works and what doesn’t? Technology will not slow down and online course offerings will not become less necessary. We have to evolve and blend our online and in-class curriculum to give the students and teachers what they need to succeed.
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3 comments:
Great post, Sarah! Thanks for bringing up these questions. I think you handled this perfectly.
Hi Sarah,
As the professor who coordinates WRIT 300, I value your opinions. Have you taken WRIT 300? Or are you taking the course this semester? If so, I'd be happy to hear your concerns in person.
The class does not contain twice the amount of work. In fact, WRIT 300 requires less writing than other comparable courses at other universities, but we’re aiming for quality, not quantity, although both are important. Students complete more work at home because they’re physically in class less often, but they don't have any more "homework" than what the previous course, IDIS 300, required.
Based on the feedback and data I've seen, many students are reporting that they find the course very helpful and effective. Our assessment of WRIT 300's fall sections revealed that student writing improved dramatically in all areas we assessed. So based on the facts we've seen so far, we're gaining a lot with WRIT 300.
Thanks,
Professor Chris Justice
Hi Professor Justice,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to the blog. I personally have not yet taken WRIT 300. I'm basing my observations on at least 15 other students who have complained about the course openly in my Ethics class.
I can see why you formatted the class to include more "out of class" assignments but is that really meeting the students needs? Is that really more convenient than working on an assignment with a Prof present to help you along in the process? (I'm asking this to you, UB Writing Students)
I'm still confused why the Writing course is split between online and in-class to begin with...
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