Comprensione e interpretazione TESTO DI ATTUALITÀ
Risposte:
1) Michael Crow’s thinks that digital technology is an opportunity to offer cheap lectures to a large number
of students without lowering the course level. This can be achieved by taking advantage of the most
effective features of both teaching systems: provide quality online courses saving time and money.
2) MOOCs (massive open online courses) have the advantage of enabling universities to offer cheap
lectures to a large number of students who do not have to attend classes in person. This makes the service
cheaper both for students and for universities.
3) Arizona State University employs technology to assess the students’ weakness through tests and to offer
remedial courses to the ones who need them. This could be useful for students who have to keep at pace
with their courses.
4)The “eAdvisor system” is an online device used to track the students’ study plan in order to show them
their progress and make students aware of their duties. This online system is able to keep track of every
single student in a quick and effective way.
5) “Chivvying laggards” are lazy students who easily drop out from traditional university courses, as they
lack the requirements needed or find it difficult to keep up with the study plan. Thanks to online courses,
these students are stimulated to achieve their goals by following an online guide system which enables
them to cope with their duties.
6) The deictic “This” refers to line 24: the fact that universities provide courses online can contribute to
reach students who live far away and who would not enrol university if they had to attend courses at
university.
7) The main advantage of online teaching is that it provides extra money since larger numbers of students
are willing to enrol online courses instead of traditional ones. Moreover, in this way universities do not
have to build larger halls, thus saving further sums of money.
8) Even important universities such as Pennsylvania State and Columbia have started offering online
degrees in many subjects. This proves that the bad reputation of on-line degrees is changing.
9) SPOCs are Small Private Online Courses, that is, courses addressed to a small number of students who
are eligible to take the course and who can interact with others while learning.
10) The title “The log-on degree” refers to the possibility to attend online university courses in order to
achieve a degree instead of attending lectures in traditional university campuses. Their main advantage is
they are cheaper than face-to-face education.
Produzione
Opzione 1
Online teaching and learning seem to have become quite popular nowadays: thanks to the widespread use
of the Internet people are easily connected not only on their computer, but also through other devices such
as tablets or smart-phones. So, the extensive use of the Internet in everyday life is among the reasons for
the growth of online courses. Attending courses online has several advantages: first of all, this system
makes lectures easier to access, as students do not have to attend classes at university but are free to
organize their timetable according to their needs. This also implies that course materials are immediately
available at any time, and the videos showing lectures can be watched as many times as needed. This
system could be of great help for students who need longer periods for their study and acquisition
techniques. Another big advantage of online courses lies in the fact that they are cheaper than traditional
university courses: students can attend them without going to university, which means they pay lower
tuition fees and they do not have to move from the place where they live. At the same time, universities
save and earn more money: they can educate more students, as they can even serve people who live far
away, without having to build larger lecture halls. However, some people may argue that online learning is
too impersonal and it is not the same as face-to-face courses, where students are part of a specific group
and can exchange observations or receive customised instructions. Also, it is still believed that online
courses are lower in quality, as they only offer some types of lectures. Actually, a good compromise could
be reached by universities which offer both online and traditional courses, so as to give students the
opportunity to access the Internet for courses which do not require their presence at university, while
being aware of the importance of concrete supervision on part of lecturers.
Opzione 2
Digital technology represents a good way to innovate teaching and learning strategies: the Internet is now a
widespread means of communication, and lots of people rely on it in their everyday routine, including
education. The Internet is fast, it has no physical boundaries and it can be accessed by anybody at any given
time. This is why online courses provide many opportunities for students who enrol university: people can
attend courses even from a far distance, and they can organize their own timetable according to their
specific needs: this could be of great help especially to those students who need more time to study and
who would risk dropping out of traditional courses. Moreover, students who attend online classes have all
the material at their disposal: for example, they can watch or listen to the same explanation more than
once. The Internet also provides more opportunities for students to take part in remedial courses which
everyone can take individually in order to be more prepared for their exams, while the large number of
students in traditional courses makes it harder to give them customised support. At the same time, college
becomes cheaper because universities do not have to provide as many services as in traditional courses,
where student life is based on day-to-day and face-to-face teaching. Besides, the university structures, such
as lecture halls and laboratories, do not have to contain large numbers of students, so online courses are an
economic way for universities to obtain tuition fees without spending the money to provide expensive
services. The fact that online teaching and learning is cheaper does not mean it is less efficient compared to
traditional academic teaching: unlike in the past, universities now offer a wide variety of online courses. In
addition, even top-notch universities are starting to consider the Internet as a good way to address
students. Therefore, technology will be gradually used more and more as a way to support traditional
teaching systems.