Posted by: [deleted]
Posting time: 5.3 years ago on
Last edit time: never edited.
Archived on: 2/12/2017 1:51:00 AM
Views: 17
SCP: 8
8 upvotes, 0 downvotes (100% upvoted it)
~1 user(s) here now
NSFW: No
Authorized: No
Anon: No
Private: No
Type: Default
view the rest of the comments →
[–] conundrumbombs ago
Yes. What do you want to know? (Is this going to turn into an AMA?)
[–] [deleted] ago
[–] conundrumbombs ago (edited ago)
Well, here's the deal. There are a lot of things to consider:
On a personal level, I really enjoy the brick-and-mortar learning in terms of being a student. I gain so much from it. I really enjoy the in-class discussions, and the ability to ask a lot of questions. Plus, there is the added bonus of being more than just a name on a class roster, and developing a personal connection. Because, let me assure you, assignments are graded in an entirely different way if the professor/instructor can attach a face to that name (be it unintentionally or not). I can certainly understand students wanting to take intro courses online because they already feel like they are lost in the vast sea of a lecture hall, but I would still prefer the lecture hall over online -- becoming more than just a name can still be done, it's just harder. Luckily, the courses where discussion is one of the main focal points of the class (mostly upper level courses) are not offered online, anyway.
Now, as an instructor, I honestly prefer to teaching online. Because I'm a bit younger, I've been raised with the internet, and it's a very comfortable medium for me. And because my intro course students are even younger than I am, they are even more comfortable with the medium than I am. Students seem to open up a lot more with me in terms of one-on-one conversations, and I think they gain a lot from that. The trade-off is that they are less willing to open up with their classmates, so they aren't exposed to as much of a diversity of opinions. So, it effectively becomes my job to provide them alternative ways of thinking -- which can be difficult sometimes. Older professors/instructors than myself are understandably more comfortable with the brick-and-mortar teaching. Especially the much older ones who had established themselves long before the internet was a thing. (I've had professors who remember when they could even smoke while they were teaching!)
If you're asking for advice, then I suppose this is what I can offer: what is your learning style? Go with what you are comfortable with, and which medium offers you the most. There are pros and cons to both sides, and I actually really dig on the idea that both styles can co-exist. Nobody learns the same way, and being able to accommodate for that is a great thing, in my personal opinion. I would probably, however, say that any class that is a 300 or 400 level should probably be taken in-class, regardless of your comfort level. Though, I imagine as technology evolves, we'll see that being a more common option for online learning and distance education if people can, you know, Skype in for class discussions or something.
Tangent: I've actually participated in this really cool thing where I was in a room with a bunch of students and a professor, and we were linked by video on a huge screen in our classroom to another classroom in Korea, so our class was engaging in discussion with a class on the other side of the planet. That, I can really get behind, and maybe that will be something that is more common in the future. The few times I've gotten to do it have been great experiences.
I know I got off onto a lot of tangential things. It was a stream of consciousness. If you have any other questions, ask away.
(Edit: clarity.)