>From the article...
"It describes online learning as a preferred mode that is actively selected,
not "settled for." For years, students, teachers, and university professors
have been mindlessly chasing outcomes described in "no significant
difference" research (Grandzol & Grandzol, 2006)... Instead of simulating
traditional environments with digital tools, we need to reinvent the
environment."
This is a critical point. When I started my Capella Ph.D., my hoped-for
outcome was "no significant difference". After getting into the curriculum
for a while, I realized that there was a significant difference, and for me
it was better. I was able to squeeze more focused value from my terminal
graduate education because I had well-defined goals and a high degree of
motivation.
On the other hand, I would never substitute my bricks and mortar bachelor's
degree experience with an online substitute. At that post-high school stage
of life I needed the face to face interpersonal interactions that I got
every day. My 4 years at Hope College were transformational not just
because of what I learned in the classrooms; those years marked a
significant developmental stage for me.
Online education can now be thought of a form of higher learning that is
superior for some students and areas of study. Likewise, traditional
college and university programs will be better for other situations.
Chris
------------------------------------------
Christopher P. Hahn, Ph.D.
Constructive Agreement, LLC
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
P.O. Box 39, Bozeman, MT 59771
(406) 522-4143 (406) 556-7116 fax
------------------------------------------
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2012 2:27 PM
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: [RC] Re: [ RC ] Article: Manifesto for Teaching Online.....Flexible
Learning
Ernie :
The manifesto you sent makes valid enough points. Still, it would be a good
idea
to repeat my previous comments about a "best mix" of educational
alternatives.
A switch from all lectures all the time to all virtual ed all the time
is not what I was talking about, as worthwhile as online courses
and other learning options may be.
Not sure if the concept is registering. Maybe it can't because of Apple's
product emphasis. Nothing the least wrong with hardware that people can buy
but as I look at it, that approach is kind of like the approach of textbook
people
who seem to think that all knowledge comes from their products.
I'm not knocking textbook, either, well maybe in a full length essay I
would,
for a number of reasons, but to keep this simple.
>From an educator's perspective the "ideal" college education would consist
of a blend of a number of learning alternatives. Computers are important
but they aren't the whole picture.
Its kinda like Nike, which is very big at U of O since Phil Knight is an
alum
and has a serious interest in Oregon sports. Hence the fashion-statement
football
uniforms that Nike provides the team, hence Matt basketball arena, hence
other new sports facilities and no-expense-spared coaches to make
world class athletics normative around here.
But Phil Knight has also invested ( donated ) lotsa $$ in other ways,
and hence the school's first class library ( hundreds of thousands of
volumes )
is called Knight Library. He hasn't forgotten sports, far from it,
obviously.
But he tries to see the overall picture, and that includes academics.
Majoring in a hard science and my guess is that the winds of educational
reform
that come and go in the overall curricula did not really effect you all that
much
while you were a student. But, take my word, in the liberal arts a lot has
happened
and even though a whole raft of experiments and bright ideas didn't make the
cut,
some innovations have done so, and if not everywhere at least in select
locations.
>From a computer business perspective, at least as I see it, the challenge
should be
to identify how products can be made use of in :
> field study contexts ( class trips out of state, or in situ study of a
community
for sociology class or anthropology or political science, etc.
> group interaction. About this, consider an online course. What about
Eugene, to use
that example. Why couldn't a real world class be organized locally if I was
enrolled in
say, a journalism course, or maybe television production ? Maybe this
would not apply
if the class was in the philosophy of the medieval era or advanced Buddhist
studies,
but for a pretty wide array of courses it ought to be entirely feasible. As
it is, Eugene
has about 20 meet-up groups, people who get together, in person, based on
common interests, like nature hikes, like fascination with mystery fiction,
or in
Asian cooking. The people meet each other thanks to a computer service
provided locally, I think, by Parks and Recreation, which "publishes"
an electronic newsletter and sometimes offers computer tutorials. In other
words,
given desirability for people getting together, the idea would be use of
computers
to accomplish this goal.
> creative projects, which can be almost anything, from visual arts to
writing for TV.
I do comprehend the idea that online education can be good news in 100
different ways.
Its just that if you are serious about re-thinking education it really is
imperative
to grasp the whole field, not just the computer part of it. Overall context
is
not some kind of luxury. And be open to at least
some well intended criticisms.
Not every text innovation in computer text writing is such a hot idea, after
all,
like embedding highlighted words in a serious article. I could give you
several
compelling reasons to abandon that kind of thing, mostly because it
repeatedly
breaks up the flow of reading for meaning, and also because far too often
a link via highlighted word takes you to trivia that is senseless to
include.
But, yeah, there are all kinds of multi-media opportunities in computer text
that no hard copy print book can replicate. As I hope you will see
in the near future. If I ever get this damned project finished,
which never seems to happen since as soon as I get one new "chapter"
under control I think of another subject that really needs attention
and hence fresh research, or revisions of past work, or creating
new visuals, etc. But IF this ever gets done you will see,
graphically, that I really do get the idea.
Billy
========================================
3/12/2012 11:43:24 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
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Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community
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Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community
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Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism
Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
