Abraham+Obeitat

=My Notes= { Sources http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/overview/weaknesses.asp Online education horror stories worthy of Halloween: A short list of problems and solutions in 'online instruction David E. Hailey, Jr*, Keith Grant-Davie, Christine A. Huh Utah State University, Tyler TX 75701, USA {http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=106&sid=675d01c5-47fd-4eb7-84cc-ca1aaff7d7dc%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=48944647

"However, at times a few messages from volatile students have unpredictably exploded into flame wars or have contained strongly worded complaints about the teacher, administrators, or others in positions"

"Frequently, student "explosions" happen with no obvious trigger, as can be seen in the following example, which, like all the examples in this article, is a composite based on the authors' actual experiences with actual students. The examples haye been modified and the names changed to provide anonymity to the students involved. As they negotiated their roles and tasks, one student ("Carl") posted a comment requesting that he be given a specific portion of a group project. The project was an intranet site, and the student wanted to create a page containing the company history. When the group failed to respond, the student repeated his request. A few hours later, a different student ("Amy") volunteered to create the site's home page. Not only was her post amicable, but she was clearly prepared to negotiate her request with the other students. However, the friendly nature of the class exchange shifted quite suddenly with Carl's reply. He had apparently been confused by the Web site structure, assuming that the corporate history was the same as the home page. In a sharply worded post, he accused Amy of "stealing" his part of the project. He went on to complain that Amy was doing it because she thought she knew HTML better than he did. The caustic level of his comments offended Amy, and she replied in kind. Subsequently, several students in the class attempted to explain to Carl that he was mistaken, that Amy was not stealing his project. Unfortunately, these responses only served to inflame the situation more. Carl took offense at every comment. In reality, the problem had nothing to do with Amy stealing anything from Carl; it had to do with the fact that Carl was already frustrated because he was struggling with material he did not understand. Furthermore, he did not understand the project itself, and he lost control when he thought Amy had slighted him. Matters only became worse when he realized that he had made a fool of himself in front of peers."

"However, we have found it is much easier to manage these controlled burns and keep them from becoming destructive in a face-to-face class (where everyone has access to tone of voice and body language to help them "read" each other and respond appropriately) than in an online class."

"Students may also be worried about their ability to make the software and hardware work for them. The equipment, after all, is not just a set of tools used by students in the class; it is the classroom itself. If it breaks down in the student's home, the student may have to troubleshoot the problem alone and will not be able to participate in class until it is fixed"

"Finally, the combined effects of"not having to look the audience in the eye, yet being able to compose and deliver an informal message to them within minutes or even seconds, may explain people's tendency to suspend politeness and flame each other in online discussions. It is much easier to be rude in writing to someone you can't see than to be verbally abusive to someone standing before you. Call it the "cruise missile syndrome"-the seductive ability to deliver a blow while remaining detached from the effects."

Before any online program can hope to succeed, it must have students who are able to access the online learning environment. Lack of access whether it be for economical or logistics reasons will exclude otherwise eligible students from the course. This is a significant issue in rural and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods. Furthermore, speaking from an administrative point of view, if students cannot afford the technology the institution employs, they are lost as customers. As far as Internet accessibility is concerned, it is not universal, and in some areas of the United States and other countries, Internet access poses a significant cost to the user. Some users pay a fixed monthly rate for their Internet connection, while others are charged for the time they spend online. If the participants’ time online is limited by the amount of Internet access they can afford, then instruction and participation in the online program will not be equitable for all students in the course. This is a limitation of online programs that rely on Internet access. Both students and facilitators must possess a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to function successfully in an online environment. For example, they must be able to use a variety of search engines and be comfortable navigating on the World Wide Web, as well as be familiar with Newsgroups, FTP procedures and email. If they do not possess these technology tools, they will not succeed in an online program; a student or faculty member who cannot function on the system will drag the entire program down. **Limitations of Technology** User friendly and reliable technology is critical to a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated technology is not 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is running smoothly, technology is intended to be low profile and is used as a tool in the learning process. However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system, for example, the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous problems which could limit students’ access; finally, the Internet connection could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged down with users and either slow down, or fail all together. In situations like these, the technology is neither seamless nor reliable and it can detract from the learning experience. **The ** While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners. Online asynchronous education gives students control over their learning experience, and allows for flexibility of study schedules for non traditional students; however, this places a greater responsibility on the student. In order to successfully participate in an online program, student must be well organized, self-motivated, and possess a high degree of time management skills in order to keep up with the pace of the course. For these reasons, online education is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age), and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm. **The ** Successful on-ground instruction does not always translate to successful online instruction. If facilitators are not properly trained in online delivery and methodologies, the success of the online program will be compromised. An instructor must be able to communicate well in writing and in the language in which the course is offered. An online program will be weakened if its facilitators are not adequately prepared to function in the Virtual Classroom. An online instructor must be able to compensate for lack of physical presence by creating a supportive environment in the Virtual Classroom where all students feel comfortable participating and especially where students know that their instructor is accessible. Failure to do this can alienate the class both from each other and from the instructor. However, even if a virtual professor is competent enough to create a comfortable virtual environment in which the class can operate, still the lack of physical presence at an institution can be a limitation for an online program. For the faculty as well as the participants, such things as being left out of meetings and other events that require on-site interaction could present a limiting factor in an online program. **The** Some environments are disruptive to the successful implementation of an online program. Administrators and/or faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and working with technology or feel that online programs cannot offer quality education often inhibit the process of implementation. These people represent a considerable weakness in an online program because they can inhibit its success. Sometimes administration cannot see beyond the bottom line and look at online programs only as ways to increase revenues and are thus not committed to seeing online programs as a means of providing quality education to people who would otherwise not be able to access it. In such a case, an institution that is not aware of the importance of proper facilitator training, essential facilitator characteristics, and limitations of class size would not understand the impact that these elements can have on the success of an online program. **The ** Online learning has its most promising potential in the high synergy represented by active dialog among the participants, one of the most important sources of learning in a Virtual Classroom. However, in larger classes (20 or more students), the synergy level starts to shift on the learning continuum until it eventually becomes independent study to accommodate the large class. At this point, dialog is limited as well as interaction among participants and the facilitator. The medium is not being used to its greatest potential. **What Should Not Be Taught Online** In the excitement and enthusiasm for online programs that has been generated recently, it is important to recognize that some subjects should not be taught online because the electronic medium in its current state of development does not permit the best method on instruction. Examples are hands-on subjects such as public speaking, surgery, dental hygiene, and sports where physical movement and practice contribute to the achievement of the learning objectives. These subjects are probably best taught in a face-to-face traditional learning environment. Hybrid courses may represent a temporary solution to this problem thus making that portion of the course more accessible to a greater number of people who would otherwise have difficulty getting to campus. However, solutions of that sort still underline the fact that online teaching cannot satisfy all educational needs and goals. Just because it may be technologically possible to simulate a physical learning experience, this does not necessarily mean that it is the best way to teach it. **The ** The curriculum of any online program must be carefully considered and developed in order to be successful. Many times, in an institution’s haste to develop distance education programs, the importance of the curriculum and the need for qualified professionals to develop it is overlooked. Curriculum and teaching methodology that are successful in on-ground instruction will not always translate to a successful online program where learning and instructional paradigms are quite different. Online curriculum must reflect the use of dialog among students (in the form of written communication), and group interaction and participation. Traditional classroom lectures have no place in a successful online program. Education of the highest quality can and will occur in an online program provided that the curriculum has been developed or converted to meet the needs of the online medium. Today is a very exciting time for technology and education. Online programs offer technology-based instructional environments that expand learning opportunities and can provide top quality education through a variety of formats and modalities. With the special needs of adult learners who need or want to continue their education, online programs offer a convenient solution to conflicts with work, family and study schedules. Institutions of higher education have found that online programs are essential in providing access to education for the populations they wish to serve. In order for an online program to be successful, the curriculum, the facilitator, the technology and the students must be carefully considered and balanced in order to take full advantage of the strengths of this format and at the same time, avoid pitfalls that could result from its weaknesses. }
 * Computer Literacy**
 * Lack of Essential Online Qualities**
 * Levels of Synergy**

{http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=106&sid=675d01c5-47fd-4eb7-84cc-ca1aaff7d7dc%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=48944647

Cons of taking online classes o Traditional education in a classroom setting, students can learn and socialize with their peers. o The instructor can teach students many valuable lessons of life which cannot be learned through tutorials o Younger students learn better socially and academically in a classroom. o Interaction makes it easier for them to pay focus and learn o Students can learn and develop punctuality and good study habits. o A teacher serves as a guide through education process which is a big part of life. o There is this bond between the instructor and the students which could not be built online. o Online classes are more expensive than traditional classes

__**Traditional Classes**__


 * Pros**

Traditional classrooms give you the type of responsibility to showing up at a regular date and time. You know that in order to take that test, hand in that assignment, or to meet with the group you have to be there during the scheduled time. This works really well for some people. Some people just may not be responsible enough to take the tests, hand in assignments, or participate in online discussion if there is not a specific "date".

You can meet a lot of people in the classroom. It's kind of hard to make "classmate friends" just from an online course.

Traditional classrooms give you easier access to the professor. What if you are having a hard time contacting him via e-mail or he always seems to be gone during his officer hours? Well, having him in the classroom with you gives easy access to ask your questions and get the help you need.



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