Taking education out of the classroom
Karey Harrigan
Columnist
Technology has its hands on everything in today’s culture. Things that we never imagined to be available to us have become easily accessible through its continuing progress. Education is the latest to be faced with the transition from personal interaction to online-based. This change could lead to accessibility for students attending community college, in low-income areas or adults returning to school, but at what sacrifice?
Much of online education criticism comes from claims that the internet environment would devalue higher education. Interaction with other students and professors in the classroom allows for opposing opinions, exchanging of ideas, and discussions, that simply cannot be replicated online. The classroom setting offers more than what is taught through a routine lesson plan. In class we learn to listen, receive criticism, make arguments, interact, and answer spontaneously. The consequences’ of removing these vital parts of learning will ultimately hinder students.
Studies may be showing equivalent or higher test scores in the online courses compared to those who are in a classroom. But are test scores really the determinant as to what students have actually learned from these courses? That is the standing question for any type of course, classroom or online-based. What is learned beyond a multiple choice test is where what is discussed or answered in class becomes so valuable. VCU Mass Media Professor Jeff South agrees, saying “most of the benefits of learning that are very hard to measure. A lot of times as a teacher or a facilitator you may plant a seed that may not even grow that semester. It might be 5 years before the person gets it.”
In a society that is already wired, I would hope that education will find a way to maintain some of its in-person traditional. Our culture is beginning to lose its understanding of how much social interaction means to individual development. However, technology has the potential to be used in a positive way. When used correctly and with a threshold, the most effective class can be a hybrid of the both. Blackboard or online quizzes and tests are great examples of how to utilize technology based resources.
“It’s all how you use the technology”, says Professor South, “there are effective ways to use it in teaching that don’t add to the technology obsession that we have in other parts of our lives.” Technological progress is meant to make things easier and more effective; yet, we are allowing it to take total control of all our communication. There must be limit.
These online courses may offer those who could never attend college a chance to receive higher education. Professor South explains, “Maybe it might be a gateway to a more traditional setting.” In situations where online-only classes are what make that difference, I am in favor. But availability and convenience are the only positive aspects of totally online based classes. There has to be an agreement where the computer is a resource and the educator is still the focal point. Teachers are the ones that make the true difference. They are the ones who engage, inspire, and motivate us.
