Welcome!
This blog is used an educational exercise for EDM 510 course Fall 2014.
Instructions:
For this post I want to hear your thoughts on the effectiveness of distance learning (online courses) in higher education. Do you think that blended courses, or courses that meet in class once a week and have an online component, are more effect than strictly online learning?
There is no right or wrong answer, I am just curious to hear everyones thoughts in regard to this in higher education.
Enjoy and thanks for visiting my blog!
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J. Hassell
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I’m happy to see that our group appeared to pick different topics without having to coordinate it!
ReplyDeleteBut to the topic at hand, I originally wasn’t into the idea of my program being entirely online prior to coming to work at South Alabama. Bear in mind I was finishing up my last semester as an undergrad who lived on campus all four years. I enjoyed some of the best years of my life thus far and felt that an online education was a step in the opposite direction.
Now, into my fourth semester as a graduate student, I can happily say that I was completely wrong about online/distance education. I’ve become one of the students whose schedule benefits so much from meeting my classmates virtually each week rather than a set time period one to three times a week. This semester alone outside of personal/familial commitments, I have two jobs and two internships as well as maintaining an executive board position in a club. There's no way I could contribute time to all those things in addition to meeting for class in person multiple times a week.
I live right across from the Mitchell Center so I guess my program doesn’t fall under the category of distance education in the sense of distance from a school but regardless, I have had classmates outside of Mobile and the state of Alabama. Distance education affords students a great opportunity to earn a program from a school they choose to attend out of choice and not restriction based on proximity to where-ever they may be living.
If one can manage their time appropriately then I think distance education fills a gap in many people’s lives. It’s not easy managing my commitments outside of the virtual classroom but I’ve become great at managing my time and planning ahead due to this program. If anything, I feel that having completed a traditional four year undergrad degree and a two years masters program online speaks to my time management and planning skills; it demonstrates that I have strong enough discipline to attend to my classes despite never having to really set foot in a classroom, let alone campus! I’m all for online/distance education. My research topic for my History of Higher Education class is actually on proprietary institutions (for-profit) and many of which are online, distance education driven schools so I look forward to learning more about them in my research! Great topic, Jenna!
Alex, you bring up some great points about the benefits of online classes for the busy, overachieving college student, like yourself! And I have found myself in a similar situation as well. I have so much more time to commit to things outside of taking classes, like the career development you are building right now.
DeleteOnline courses also teach you great time management skills and responsibility. You have to take total ownership of your education and learning. If you don't remember to log on and go to class then you aren't going to do very well. It makes it even more rewarding knowing that I took the time and committed myself to my education.
I have always felt that I have had mixed feelings about courses that are completely online and courses that are in the classroom that have some components online. I have always thought it really depended on the professor of the course and the student in the course. I feel that when you have a professor who interacts with their students online and keeps up with their students and their questions they are perfect. With a perfect student, they cant be one who half does the job. They have to be fully committed to the course and care about whats going on and get involved. I feel that is what makes a successful online course. I have had some online courses where professors would rarely get involved with the students in the course and they did not leave very much feedback on assignments. I think that hurts an online class. I also feel some students are not meant for online classes because they need someone to constantly remind them of things. So I feel that online can be beneficial if it contains the right professor and students.
ReplyDeleteBrennen, I totally agree with you. I have found that I have grown from taking online classes because it has forced me to be more responsible and more organized. Taking ownership in your education and being motivated is a must to be successful in courses like that and you're right, its not for everyone. I also believe that some professors are not built for teaching online classes too. You just have to know your learning style or teaching style and try to do what is best for you.
DeleteAfter completing my undergraduate degree, I knew then that I did not want to take anymore in-class classes. When researching a graduate program, I knew that I wanted to take my classes online while working, and South has been amazing thus far. While I know that the traditional style classrooms are just as helpful, I think we are coming up on a time where online classes are becoming more used, which allows for students to still interact with each other but steady allow them to learn from one another through online learning and reading.
ReplyDeleteA downside to distance learning is the communication. Sometimes the professor cannot be fully equipped with the respective university's technology and fails to properly teach the class. On the other hand, students fail to communicate with professors on the problems they do experience within the course. Often times, students begin to forget to check their online classes, emails, and coursework, which becomes detrimental for their grades and them as a student.
This is a very interesting topic that you have brought up, in regards to distance learning. I know I was surprised to learn that my entire graduate program of study would be completed online, and it is a major change from having the classroom interaction. I feel that having online classes and distance learning is extremely helpful in most cases, like for most of us who have everyday jobs; however, there is still so much missing. I feel like for the price of convenience we miss out on a lot of traditional things. Like Brandon said, distance learning leads the way for mistakes to be made from a lack of proper instruction, communication, or clarity. As a student, that can become very frustrating at times.
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