Online classes should not be replacing the traditional system. I understand that technology has advanced to the point where taking online classes is possible. And that’s great, as a supplement to the classroom style of learning. These online classes, as well as massive open online courses (MOOCs), are not on the same level as real classes yet.
Online classes just do not have the same feel as a real classroom. In a real classroom, there are personal discussions and collective learning among faces that you can recognize. There is the shared look of exhaustion on everybody’s face for 8 a.m. classes. There is the trudging together to get to class when there are blizzard-like conditions out. These circumstances, while maybe minor, are all a part of the college experience that would be lost if classes were solely online.
CU Boulder is trying its first MOOCs next year. This will be a comprehensive attempt to get more students to use the online learning method. However, for the reasons mentioned above, I doubt that it will produce the results that the school is looking for.
There is research by the Community College Research Center that shows that students perform worse academically in online classes when compared to traditional courses. This research found that students were not ready to adapt to the way of online learning. Because online learning is so different from the traditional style, it makes sense that students would have a hard time adjusting.
It may just be a fact that not all students are proficient enough to solely use their computers for online learning. They may not know how to use certain programs or when to use certain programs over others. Some kids may not be able to afford high-tech equipment and programs. Overall, lower income students may have less access to technology which would put them at a tremendous disadvantage in an online learning situation.
Troubleshooting could be another major obstacle. With a more technological world, there are bound to be more technological problems. If students don’t know how to correctly fix any bugs or technical issues that may arise, then they won’t be able to access or complete their online classes.
Online learning requires extreme diligence. There may not be scheduled times when classes are held, but rather only deadlines when things need to be turned in. With procrastination as a major concern among almost all students, this can be a devastating thing when there aren’t times scheduled specifically for learning the material.
It does appear, however, that online learning is progressing to a more acceptable standard. There are programs out there that utilize different programs such as Skype to make video calling an option. This will allow the professor to see the students and for the students to see both the professor and their fellow classmates. It would also mean that the students would have to get on at certain times so as to coordinate with the rest of the class on the video calling process.
Online learning may be the way of the future in schooling, as some would like to predict. I do not think that we are there yet. There are still a lot of problems with comparing to the same experience as a traditional classroom and overall performance in online classes that make it less valuable than going the traditional classroom path.
With some tweaks to make online classes more connected through means such as Skype, perhaps online learning will come to equal a similar level of education as the traditional style. For now, let’s head to class and take our seats.
