Geoffrey+Wang

Educational Experiences and the Online Student. Summary: The article explores the **//online//** **//courses//** which provide an educational experience for students in the U.S. It is noted that as **//online//** **//courses//** were introduced to the students, there would be also **//disadvantages//**. The student's perception can be negative if they experience large transactional distance with the instructor and with other students and can influence whether a student will stay in or drop out of a class. However, educators have the ability to design **//online//** classes that are interactive and enable students to become active participants in the classroom. Active participation by both parties is the key to reduce transactional distance and by using educational approaches, learning from the part of the students is said to be possible.

My Summary: This article focuses on the philosophical and visual aspects of the disadvantages of online learning. Socrates is cited, to explain how distance from the professor and other students decreases the learning experience because of the lack of audio and course based interpretation.

At John Tyler community college, course completion rates for Internet courses were 35% while on-campus completion rates were 71%. Other reports have revealed that dropout rates for online courses range between 25%-40% compared to 10%-20% for on-campus courses They believe that online social interactions are a poor substitute for face-to-face interaction. Bowers (2001) cau- tions educators to consider the cultural loss and gains that computers bring, alleging that “stu- dents taking online classes find them mechani- cal and devoid of intellectual stimulation” (p. 136). If Socrates is correct, true knowledge only emerges in face-to-face interaction of individu- als in a community, and we may conclude that online learning is not beneficial to student’s learning.

[|Higher Ed Professionals' Perspectives on Online Education] [|THE CONS]

Nondisciplined students need not apply
For starters, it takes a certain degree of maturity and discipline to regularly log onto a computer, listen to a lecture, participate in **//online//** group discussions and take required tests in a timely manner. Not every student operates well in this self-motivated environment. Many 18-year-old college freshmen, coming directly from traditional high school settings, may not be ready for the leap. "At Coppin, there isn't a policy that precludes freshmen from taking **//online//** **//courses//**, but faculty members generally advise against it," says Dr. Ahmed El-Haggan, vice president for information technology at Coppin State University in Maryland. 

Workload pile-up for professors
"They [professors] all say it's more work than they thought it would be. You're not just putting notes **//online//**. You really are packaging a learning experience," says BU's Halfond. Halfond is quick to add, however, that at BU, faculty members receive ample support to ease the conversion from traditional to **//online//** **//courses//**. Ancillary support personnel available to BU professors going **//online//** include videographers, instructional designers and technical specialists. "The professor is a subject-matter expert, not an educational media specialist," Halfond says. 

Niche programs not offered
Students seeking to become educated **//online//** in rare subject matters might be disappointed. "Enormous public universities paid for by state dollars can handle obscure programs **//online//** schools can't, if there's no market for it," says TUI's Gold. He recalls a recent phone call from a prospective student wanting to know if TUI offered paleontology **//courses//** featuring uncommon dinosaurs. The student was out of luck. 

**//Online//** sham offerings abound
As with any consumer offering, when it comes to "shopping" for an **//online//** education, the phrase "buyer beware" applies. Educational fraud, **//online//** education notwithstanding, is a "a huge industry," according to Vicky Phillips, founder and chief educational analyst at GetEducated.com, an **//online//** distance learning college directory and repository of information on **//online//** education. "Right now GetEducated.com tracks more fake **//online//** MBAs than we do real ones," she says, noting that the Internet has encouraged this fraudulent behavior by allowing anyone with money to advertise unchecked. Some warning signs of fake or questionable **//online//** programs include promises of quick completion and limited contact information for the institution. PHOTO (COLOR): Military personnel make great students because they're smart, diligent and have integrity, says Dr. Steven Gold, a business administration professor at TUI University. PHOTO (COLOR): Professors who teach **//online//** think about learning in a new way, says Jay Halfond, dean of Boston University's Metropolitan College and Extended Education. 12726345901272634590 By Elizabeth Heubeck

Summary: The article discusses the advantages and **//disadvantages//** of Internet college education. The author notes how Internet-based education is convenient for many students, allowing participation by international students and military personnel during active duty. She comments on how Internet education has changed perceptions of college teachers and increased student participation. She notes that **//online//** programs can increase workloads for teachers and may not offer specific **//course//** subjects. My Summary: Online courses require mature and disciplined students, which is not for everyone. Also, many teachers/professors are finding a great increase in their workload after offering online courses. There are many scam artists who try to make money on e-education.

=My Notes=

Online Courses - Financial issues - Isolation from other people/impaired social development - Lack of discipline and guidance (from an authoritative figure)

Uniforms

Single Sex Classrooms

The Cost of Online Colleges