Learning in the 21st century-online instruction
by
kaiwei Zhang
English 289, Section 93
Ms. Nancy E. Hindle
Introduction:
computer technology is developing rapidly, and the People's Daily life can not leave
computers. Online instructions as a new kind of instruction way also had been
developed with the technology development. But some people like it, because it has
many advantages for people, but some say not.
First:
Online degrees are both attractive and dangerous, but back in several centuries ago,
people don’t have ability to study online, but we do now, why don’t we use that.
1.“Online degrees are both attractive and dangerous, and profiles of online students
depict both aspects.
2. New York times report that online classes do have the advantage that could improve
student’s record
3. As higher education institutions struggle to meet the growing demand for education
from non-traditional students, many are turning to hybrid and online courses. These
courses, free up classroom space, allow faculty to reach a wider audience using
technology; and are therefore cost effective.
Second:
Taking online classes is a good way in saving time and helping disability people from
getting college degree.
Douglas McCarty, Ph.D., is deaf. But students in his interdisciplinary course on
“Murder, Mystery and Mayhem” don’t have a clue. Each highly interactive
class………
my own experience about the online class
3. in particular are turning to distance learning to increase
opportunities for students to enroll in degree programs on a part-time or even a
full-time basis
third:
But online instructions also have some disadvantages to be solved, basically the
quality of online teaching and a perfect size of online classes.
in fact, many students drop out of their online courses because there is not enough
communication, a situation that leaves them feeling disconnected and lost in work that
should be supported by group discussion.
2. Research results indicate that classes larger than 30 students per faculty member
can be delivered online, but such classes will inevitably take on the characteristics of
one-way faculty-to-student communication unless the group is broken into smaller
discussion sections with a faculty member or teaching assistant assigned to each small
group and thereby creating, in effect, smaller class sizes.
3. Between 1997 and 2001, the percentage of American higher education institutions
that offered distance education courses increased from 34 to 56, and course
enrollments increased from 1.7 million to 3.1 million.
More and more people enrolled in online class, the quality of education must be
guaranteed.
Conclusion:
study online is a symbol of technology development, it is needed for modern people.
It really helps saving time and offering convinces, and according to research
departments’ report that student did better in online class than normal one. People
should at least try to accept this new way of teaching, although it has some
disadvantages but people still could make it better in the future.
Learning in the 21st century-online instruction
In the 21 st century, computer technology is developing rapidly, and the People's
Daily life can not leave computers. No matter in business, in medical, in military and
school life. Computer is full fill in every corner of our life. Online instructions as a
new kind of instruction way also had been developed with the technology
development. But some people like it, because it has many advantages for people, but
some say not. In this essay, I will mainly talk about the some benefits and some
disadvantages of using computer technology as a way of teaching.
“Online degrees are both attractive and dangerous, and profiles of online students
depict both aspects.” (Riverside Reader 639)Education has a long history and this
history is based on face to face teaching, so that the teacher could have interactive
with students. Online teaching is impossible students and teachers back in ancient
time through the early of 20th century, the reason is simple, and people at that time
don’t have such technology to do that. But as the development of the technology,
computer is not a rare thing for human beings. Every home at least has one PC, the
people’s way of life have changed, the way people’s study way should also
corresponding to make a change. “As higher education institutions struggle to meet
the growing demand for education from non-traditional students, many are turning to
hybrid and online courses. These courses, free up classroom space, allow faculty to
reach a wider audience using technology; and are therefore cost effective.” (El
Mansour, Bassou, 2007) I have read an article from the “new York times”. It says
“Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom.
“The analysis for the
Department of Education found that, on average, students doing some or all of the
course online would rank in the 59th percentile in tested performance, compared with
the average classroom student scoring in the 50th percentile. That is a modest but
statistically meaningful difference.” study in classroom has experienced hundreds and
thousands years, it will and needs to be changed a little bit, and online class just fulfill
this
advance.”
(http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the
-classroom/) students performs better in online courses than normal classes, it is a
really strong evidence of benefits in using online instructions as the development of
teaching.
Taking classes online is a good way in saving time, also could help students or
teachers who has disability. “Online classes in particular are turning to distance
learning to increase opportunities for students to enroll in degree programs on a
part-time or even a full-time basis.”(Brent Hege pg.1) Here is a real example:
“Douglas McCarty, Ph.D., is deaf. But students in his interdisciplinary course on
“Murder, Mystery and Mayhem” don’t have a clue. Each highly interactive class is
delivered entirely over the Web, supplemented by email and online chat sessions.
McCarty is able to easily engage students, review their work and provide feedback to
keep them on track as they explore the appeal of mystery and detective stories.”
(http://www.newsjunkyjournal.com/online-courses-offer-opportunities-for-professorswith-disabilities/2518871/) this is another example of the advantages of taking class
online, more over, I have experienced once. I am not a disability person, but I have
broken my leg during a basketball match. That was in the midterm of a semester, I
wanted to finish my classes because I don’t want quit. But it was really hard and
weary when I was trying to use crutches walking in campus from one building to
another, at that time I really wish that I was chosen online courses rather than normal
classes.
But online instructions also have some disadvantages to be solved, one of them is
based on the quality of online instruction, the other one is size of class. “Between
1997 and 2001, the percentage of American higher education institutions that offered
distance education courses increased from 34 to 56, and course enrollments increased
from 1.7 million to 3.1 million.”(Anymir Orellana 2006) More and more people
enrolled in online class, the quality of education must be guaranteed. In fact, a
“Research results indicate that classes larger than 30 students per faculty member can
be delivered online, but such classes will inevitably take on the characteristics of
one-way faculty-to-student communication unless the group is broken into smaller
discussion sections with a faculty member or teaching assistant assigned to each small
group and thereby creating, in effect, smaller class sizes.”(Susan H. Taft, Tracy
Perkowski, and Lorene S. Martin 2011) As I said before, teachers and students were
used to in the same classroom, they can communicate with each other, correspond to
each other immediately. But online courses don’t have the quality as in the classroom;
this might make people feel frustrating. According to the article in our text book “in
fact, many students drop out of their online courses because there is not enough
communication, a situation that leaves them feeling disconnected and lost in work that
should be supported by group discussion.”(Riverside Reader 644) I can tell the
difference between online class and normal classes, sometimes I feel lonely while I
am doing the assignment, I was not mean trying to copy others’ work, but sometimes I
don’t understand part of the requirements, I was hoping someone could help me when
teacher is not responding to the email.
In conclusion, study online is a symbol of technology development, it is needed for
modern people. It really helps saving time and offering convinces, and according to
research departments’ report that student did better in online class than normal one.
People should at least try to accept this new way of teaching, although it has some
disadvantages but people still could make it better in the future.
Work cited:
1. “Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom” The New York Times.
August 19, 2009
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-theclassroom/
2. Robert Tidwell. “Online Courses offer Opportunities for Professors with
Disabilities.” Sep 14, 2011. News Junky Journal.
http://www.newsjunkyjournal.com/online-courses-offer-opportunities-for-professorswith-disabilities/2518871/
3. Joseph F. Trimmer. And Maxine Hariston. Riverside Reader. Ninth edition.
Houghton Mifflin Company Boston New York
4. Susan H. Taft, Tracy Perkowski, and Lorene S. Martin, A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING
CLASS SIZE IN ONLINE EDUCATION, pg 118, Nov 3 2011.
5. Anymir Orellana, CLASS SIZE AND INTERACTION IN ONLINE COURSES, pg
229, Nov 3 2006.
6. El Mansour, Bassou, Mupinga, Davison M. “STUDENTS' POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
EXPERIENCES IN HYBRID AND ONLINE CLASSES”. Pg.1. Mar 2007.
7. Brent A. R. Hege, The Online Theology Classroom: Strategies for Engaging a
Community of Distance Learners in a Hybrid Model of Online Education, pg 13, Jan
1 2011.