Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom

[Zebo]

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom/

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Since the primary expense of states is education I think I have an idea to state budget problems... Move all education online! Millions of grounds keepers not needed. Buildings not needed. Electricity to cool them and light them not needed. Paper and copy machines not needed. Gas and buses to get to them not needed. Trillions saved, better education, saves trees and saves gas. 4 problems solved.

Obama was basically praying for the next "we invented the internet" moment to our woes. I say just use the one we got.

 

[charrison]

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom/

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Since the primary expense of states is education I think I have an idea to state budget problems... Move all education online! Millions of grounds keepers not needed. Buildings not needed. Electricity to cool them and light them not needed. Paper and copy machines not needed. Gas and buses to get to them not needed. Trillions saved, better education, saves trees and saves gas. 4 problems solved.

Obama was basically praying for the next "we invented the internet" moment to our woes. I say just use the one we got.

Education is probably the next painful bubble to pop. Technology is poised to make the current system obsolete.

 

[Texashiker]

Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom

I just can not see that. A few years ago I took an online course, and when I had a question, there was nobody to ask. I ended up dropping the class because I could not get any help with stuff I did not understand.

It appeared to me that online courses were setup for people who have a perfect understanding of the subject matter. If you had a perfect understanding, you would not be taking the course to start with.

 

[Zebo]

charrison - Like horse to the automobile... but horses didn't have unions/payola/phone banks of teachers.

 

[ayabe]

Online classes don't work for everyone nor do they work for all subjects. You also have to factor in the additional cost of supervising the children, feeding them, heating/cooling their home. In the end that would probably cost more than keeping it centralized.

Specifically math and science. How are you going to do labs in your house? Since mathematics isn't a strong suit of our country to being with I really don't see how removing the 1 to 1 teacher time is going to improve things.

 

[Orignal Earl]

An entire country full of social disfunctionals.
Just imagine....

 

[Zebo]

An entire country full of social disfunctionals.
Just imagine....

Moonie e'll ya that ship has sailed.

And speaking of Moonie - he once said machines will lead us to sustainable prosperity...maybe this Digital Age in Education (the machines) is just a precursor to the technologically driven efficiency and the need to work/income will decrease dramatically.

 

[Orignal Earl]

maybe this Digital Age in Education (the machines) is just a precursor to the technologically driven efficiency and the need to work/income will decrease dramatically.

Ya....maybe.

 

[Zebo]

Online classes don't work for everyone nor do they work for all subjects. You also have to factor in the additional cost of supervising the children, feeding them, heating/cooling their home. In the end that would probably cost more than keeping it centralized.

Specifically math and science. How are you going to do labs in your house? Since mathematics isn't a strong suit of our country to being with I really don't see how removing the 1 to 1 teacher time is going to improve things.

Yea gross anatomy would be really hard unless you're REALLY socially disfunctional. I assume they'd have classes for that still.

 

[Exterous]

Some of it was in K-12 settings, but most of the comparative studies were done in colleges and adult continuing-education programs of various kinds

Ah - so they did the bulk of the study where online education would do the best. I would be more interested in the article if it broke the research down by post-highschool/highschool/pre-highschool. There is no way with todays kids and parents that online education could replace in school education.

charrison - Like horse to the automobile... but horses didn't have unions/payola/phone banks of teachers.

And what are the parents going to do to supervise their kids without free daycare?

 

[Phokus]

From a couple people who've taken University of Phoenix classes, they've said that online classes enable laziness in teachers/professors. They even encourage msg board discussion amongst students rather than leading discussion. Compare that with in class professors who are typically more engaged.

 

[Siddhartha]

If the needed information is available, I prefer a class where I can learn at my mine pace.

 

[waggy]

Online classes don't work for everyone nor do they work for all subjects. You also have to factor in the additional cost of supervising the children, feeding them, heating/cooling their home. In the end that would probably cost more than keeping it centralized.

Specifically math and science. How are you going to do labs in your house? Since mathematics isn't a strong suit of our country to being with I really don't see how removing the 1 to 1 teacher time is going to improve things.

you have to keep the home heated and cooled no matter if you are going into class to begin with so you can't add that. not to mention if you have kids you still have to add in that cost. so that part of your post is kinda silly.

Not all class's are going to work online. i agree a lab in the house? biology class? heh

I did a few online classes for fun. If they had more when i was younger i would have taken them. its a pitty so many online "colleges" are shit.

 

[waggy]

From a couple people who've taken University of Phoenix classes, they've said that online classes enable laziness in teachers/professors. They even encourage msg board discussion amongst students rather than leading discussion. Compare that with in class professors who are typically more engaged.

true. but sometimes that's good. i took a online English class (science fiction writing) online and it was great. the message board was always busy with discussion. Perhaps it worked because nearly everyone taking the class did it for fun.

I do agree that for a lot of classes being in the class with the Prof is far better. i couldn't imagine taking a ethics, psych or hell a math class online.

 

[yllus]

true. but sometimes that's good. i took a online English class (science fiction writing) online and it was great. the message board was always busy with discussion. Perhaps it worked because nearly everyone taking the class did it for fun.

That actually sounds fun. Whenever I read something particularly good I often try to go online and find in-depth discussions on the novel, and I'm almost always disappointed with the level of discourse I find.

 

[Uhtrinity]

From a couple people who've taken University of Phoenix classes, they've said that online classes enable laziness in teachers/professors. They even encourage msg board discussion amongst students rather than leading discussion. Compare that with in class professors who are typically more engaged.

UoP isn't a very good example. They are for profit and have the reputation as a Rumor mill. I finished up my BS through WGU and continued working on a M.ed. I really like it. However taking courses online takes a certain kind of person. If you aren't motivated you won't succeed. As far as post secondary I would say experience B&M before even considering taking courses online. Having spent quite a bit of time in B&M as well as online I can say that each has their strengths and weaknesses and in the end I prefer online.

As far as the social aspect, that is the main area where online educations lack. If all kids did online we would have a nation of introverts.

 

[nonlnear]

A lot of people didn't read the study. These "online" classes were primarily conventional instruction, supplemented with online labs, etc. Hardly a vehicle for deprecating the school building. Not to mention the relative dearth of K-12 data. Although to be fair, the studies included were compelling enough to suggest that the effect may also be there for K-12. It's just more appropriate to study adult and K-12 education separately if one wants the results to be significant enough to shape policy.

 

[CPA]

While I'm not going to comment on the validity of the study, I do find it amazing that universities and colleges, constantly under the strain of campus costs have not put more efforts into establishing distance education, which is much less in cost to the university, but they charge the same rates.

 

[daishi5]

true. but sometimes that's good. i took a online English class (science fiction writing) online and it was great. the message board was always busy with discussion. Perhaps it worked because nearly everyone taking the class did it for fun.

I do agree that for a lot of classes being in the class with the Prof is far better. i couldn't imagine taking a ethics, psych or hell a math class online.

Math classes online are hard. I think they are really only appropriate for certain kinds of people who are motivated and already have a decent understanding of math. When I had them, I bought the extra books that the professors recommended. For one chapter, I would be reading one chapter in four different books, several of them multiple times each week. Going to the professor for help required study and preparation because unlike class where the professor answers within a few minutes, a response may take a day to receive. When you ask a question you want to make sure you ask a clear question that gives the professor enough information to identify your mistakes and confusion.

The biggest problem with online courses however is that most of them are viewed as diploma mills. I worry future employers may view it that way, even though my online courses are through a real university, and were just the easiest way to complete my degree and keep a roof over my head.

 

[PingSpike]

While I'm not going to comment on the validity of the study, I do find it amazing that universities and colleges, constantly under the strain of campus costs have not put more efforts into establishing distance education, which is much less in cost to the university, but they charge the same rates.

Are they under strain of campus costs? All of the college institutions around me are constantly constructing new buildings that appear to be focused on architectural beauty at the expense of construction costs and maybe maintenance and HVAC fees.

 

[tk149]

I just can not see that. A few years ago I took an online course, and when I had a question, there was nobody to ask. I ended up dropping the class because I could not get any help with stuff I did not understand.

It appeared to me that online courses were setup for people who have a perfect understanding of the subject matter. If you had a perfect understanding, you would not be taking the course to start with.

I can easily post the opposite. I took an online course in export regulations, and learned tons from it. I could email the instructor at anytime, and we had an online forum where classmates could interact with the instructor and each other.

Your experience is anecdotal. If you do not understand the difference between scientific studies and anecdotal evidence, try here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence

 

[QuantumPion]

Isaac Asimov agrees:

http://wimp.com/predictedinternet/

I highly recommend watching this, it's very prescient and insightful.

 

[Brainonska511]

Are they under strain of campus costs? All of the college institutions around me are constantly constructing new buildings that appear to be focused on architectural beauty at the expense of construction costs and maybe maintenance and HVAC fees.

How are the buildings being funded though? It could easily be via donations that have specific clauses on how that money is spent.

 

[classy]

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom/

---------

Since the primary expense of states is education I think I have an idea to state budget problems... Move all education online! Millions of grounds keepers not needed. Buildings not needed. Electricity to cool them and light them not needed. Paper and copy machines not needed. Gas and buses to get to them not needed. Trillions saved, better education, saves trees and saves gas. 4 problems solved.

Obama was basically praying for the next "we invented the internet" moment to our woes. I say just use the one we got.

Baloney. Nothing beats learning with a teacher, a classroom, and peers.

 

[QuantumPion]

Baloney. Nothing beats learning with a teacher, a classroom, and peers.

Actually, anything beats classroom learning. Classroom learning is the least effective and efficient method of teaching. The best is one on one with a private tutor. But generally, only the well off can afford such.

Asimov's point in the above video is that the internet and online education has the potential to allow any student to learn at his own pace and with the functional equivalent of a private tutor. Note that he recomends this in addition to regular classroom learning, although the benefit of that is primarily for the social aspect.