I know that since the beginning of online education there have been the rumblings that online education does not provide the same quality of education you can find in the traditional classroom. There are pros and cons to both.
In online education assumptions are often made that students have prior knowledge of the technologies required to take the online class. However, this is not always the case. Some may enroll because it’s their only option. For instance, I’ve been wanting to work towards my MLIS degree for almost 10 years, and even though I lived close to two universities with MLIS programs (UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin), these were classroom programs only (at the time) and I couldn’t find the time to take day classes with a full-time job. Now, I’m in a program that is completely online. At the time I joined this program, 2 years ago, I knew many of the technology tools available but had no experience with ANGEL and some of the databases used in many of my classes. The LIBR203 course, which was implemented by the program around the time I first enrolled, was a good course to take. All online education programs should incorporate something similar for students new to online courses. Though it can be tough for newbies to online education, getting the hang of the new technologies, it can also be a blessing. Not only are they learning a subject of interest or satisfying a degree requirement, they can also be learning how to use new technologies, which can only enhance their skills in other areas of life (ie: helping their own kids with homework, advancing in their jobs, seeking information for their own personal interests or needs).
Another assumption that can be made comes from the side of the student and the nay-sayers who may consider online education the “easy way out”. However this can actually be the exact opposite. In a classroom setting, students can sometimes “get by”, letting other students answer questions and also can get participation points by just showing up for class. In the online environment, students have to actively participate through online discussion in order to be “heard” and “seen” by the instructor. I personally feel that online education is a great way to get otherwise silent students to “speak up”, especially when there is the anonymity of sitting behind a computer, instead of raising your hand in front of a whole classroom of people or having the instructor call your name and you feel like you’ve been pinned to the board.
Another factor in successful online learning is the instructor. There must be a good instructor, just like any type of classroom setting. However, the instructor can be faced with similar challenges as the students. The instructor must have some technology savvy in order to organize an online course so that students can learn from it. The instructor must also be “present” in the class, providing good opportunities for discussion, with feedback, whether they are inside forums or using conferencing technology. In the end, students don’t want to simply learn from a computer screen. They still want to feel that there is an actual someone who is teaching them or guiding them through their education.
In the end, just like traditional classrooms, the real qualitative measure comes from good teaching and a student’s willingness to learn.
