I really like the idea of web-based courses for the students because these courses give students more opportunity. I came from a rural area and most of my friends just did work experience to make up for the extra courses. I think students should do a web based course maybe instead of work experience. There are many of courses offered online compared to 6 years ago when I was in school. I had one friend take a web based course for math so they could get into university and not be behind in university. I could also see this as a positive if the student has behaviour issues or issues with the teacher. The student could just do a web-based course and not have to do with these issues.
I see a lot more opportunity with kids now with online courses or independent courses. The downside is the social and engaging part in the classroom and students have to be able to organize and manage their time to finish the course. If a student isn't organized or waits last minute to do a whole years work in a matter of weeks or a month. I knew someone who did this and the course was needed to graduate. Luckily the person did graduate but I can see this as a negative and I might argue that the information learned in these online based courses may not stick with the student. This is just due to the lack of experience and discussion the student is missing if they were in a class. There are online courses that have a web cam with a teacher but I still hear the negatives and lack of discussion.
I think that if students take a web-based course then they become more responsible because the responsibility falls on them. Some students need that reality. I do agree with you that some people my just rush through in because of the graduation time restraint.
ReplyDeleteThe social aspect of classrooms is a key to education. You do not want to isolate the student, however you can have a discussion board so that the student feels part of a class. I think that if you were going to become an online teacher than one should incorporate more face to face interactions like interviews through Skype. This way a connection can be made between the student and the teacher.
Great Post
I totally understand your concerns about online courses - I took one in high school because I knew I could finish it in two weeks rather than a semester. That being said, it does put a lot of responsibility on the student to learn the material on their own. There's good and bad about online courses, and some students will benefit more than others.
ReplyDeleteI think if I would have gone into online courses when I first started schooling I would have been in a lot of trouble. When i started university I was not exactly your grade A student. I needed the teacher to explain things further so I could get some clarity on certain aspects. I think if I would have taken the online route, I would have had an extremely hard time getting questions answered when I needed them. Of course the teacher is there most of the time, but they would not be right in front of you showing you how to do it. I think the face to face interaction would be a great thing to have, but people just starting school (some) may have a hard time with it. Great Post Dave!
ReplyDeleteInteresting comments about web-based courses. I would have to disagree on one major point that you made, which is that web-based courses should be in lieu of work placements. I believe the practical, hands-on learning experience cannot be replaced. No matter what career one is perusing, it is so important to have contact with other professionals in the stream and to learn from one another! Web-based courses definitely have a time and place though! But in my opinion, replacing hands-on work is not one of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Makyla, web-based courses should definitely not replace work placements. When in high school I earned credit through work experience and the value was tremendous. My vision of web-based courses would be to provide a specialized education experience that a school cannot offer. The beauty of the system is they can cater to the students. For a student who is interested in fitness, a web based course on fitness and nutrition could be used to gain credit. I don't think they should ever be substituted for core courses, although for some electives it is a fit.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stu. It is hard to motivate students to keep up with online courses. I was a pretty good student in high school but I know that I would have had a really tough time with an online course because I liked the face to face interaction with other students and my teachers. It takes a self motivated student to get through an online course.
ReplyDelete