Do Online Schools Provide a Quality Education?
Interesting thread on Slashdot about the pros and cons of taking university classes online. Big and rambling, as these sorts of online conversations tend to be, but lots of interesting tidbits from people who’ve spent time as online students. One interesting paradox: many students didn’t like the online classes because they felt the professor was “skating,” i.e., not putting forth as much effort as s/he would in a “meatspace” class. Those who have taught online, of course, know that it generally takes more time than the meatspace alternative. So, at least in terms of student satisfaction (not necessarily learning outcomes) it would seem there’s an advantage in letting students see you sweat, even if it’s virtual sweat. Students need to feel a teacher’s “presence” in some manner throughout the course. We theoryheads, of course, know that presence isn’t all its cracked up to be.
