Dismissal of online learning still a thing?

[eLearner]

'Traditionally', a lot of online learners have been mid-career professionals and older people. I'm sure that's slowly changing, but in that situation connections aren't as important. For me, that wouldn't do any good. That's not to say that meeting new people can't be beneficial, but I'm no longer trying to get my feet, my career is already well-established. So it really depends on individual needs. Maybe it can be more helpful for a career change, but that's a different story.

[dfrecore]

@MNomadic

In most programs in the sciences and specifically in the medical field, there are things you can do online and things you need to do in-person. That is fine and I would never dispute that setup. I'm actually against programs that are targeting clinical practice but don't include clinical training and actually find it rather irresponsible.

What I am in favor of is an online program that allows you to take the parts that don't need to be done in-person online, while mandating in-person training for the parts where hands-on training is indispensable. I think that's a reasonable thought process.

What struck me is how people dismissed that and ignored the fact that the online learner would have the same level of hands-on training in the critical parts that required it. The blanket idea of throwing away all online programs because a few are run irresponsibly is in itself irresponsible on the part of the detractors.

I am one hundred percent in concurrence with you. Some stuff does NEED to be hands on and in person. However, driving to a campus downtown, dealing with parking, trekking across campus to sit in a lecture hall of 500 people to listen to a lecture on theory(accompanied by a PowerPoint), see if they take attendance, and hand in a paper assignment is a complete waste of time and money nowadays.

I get far more out of a video where I can speed it up, skip the fluff, rewind/read the transcripts when I need to, pause to run errands, bring the laptop into the bathroom with me(if I had beans earlier that day), multitask on the easier stuff, etc. And then email the assignment in when I'm ready.

I disagree. For one thing you should not be sitting in 200 student lecture halls for your 300-400 classes but instead in classes that are 20-40 people large. That is why its fine to do the first 2 years at CC or online but for your last 2 years you really are missing out on some important connections with professors and the industry. You might learn the same material but that is not whats the most important for liberal arts and biz degree holders. Its the connections that count at the end of your degree. I am sitting here with a great GPA and if I want to get a masters I need to think about getting letters of rec from my professors. Which is much harder for me being just a number in an online class.

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OK, I WROTE A REPLY AND HIT "REPLY" AND THIS IS WHAT POSTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND I'M GETTING FRUSTRATED. I REFUSE TO REPLY TWICE, AFTER SPENDING TIME WRITING SOMETHING THOUGHTFUL TO SOMEONE. WHAT IS GOING ON????

[MNomadic]

@MNomadic

In most programs in the sciences and specifically in the medical field, there are things you can do online and things you need to do in-person. That is fine and I would never dispute that setup. I'm actually against programs that are targeting clinical practice but don't include clinical training and actually find it rather irresponsible.

What I am in favor of is an online program that allows you to take the parts that don't need to be done in-person online, while mandating in-person training for the parts where hands-on training is indispensable. I think that's a reasonable thought process.

What struck me is how people dismissed that and ignored the fact that the online learner would have the same level of hands-on training in the critical parts that required it. The blanket idea of throwing away all online programs because a few are run irresponsibly is in itself irresponsible on the part of the detractors.

I am one hundred percent in concurrence with you. Some stuff does NEED to be hands on and in person. However, driving to a campus downtown, dealing with parking, trekking across campus to sit in a lecture hall of 500 people to listen to a lecture on theory(accompanied by a PowerPoint), see if they take attendance, and hand in a paper assignment is a complete waste of time and money nowadays.

I get far more out of a video where I can speed it up, skip the fluff, rewind/read the transcripts when I need to, pause to run errands, bring the laptop into the bathroom with me(if I had beans earlier that day), multitask on the easier stuff, etc. And then email the assignment in when I'm ready.

I disagree. For one thing you should not be sitting in 200 student lecture halls for your 300-400 classes but instead in classes that are 20-40 people large. That is why its fine to do the first 2 years at CC or online but for your last 2 years you really are missing out on some important connections with professors and the industry. You might learn the same material but that is not whats the most important for liberal arts and biz degree holders. Its the connections that count at the end of your degree. I am sitting here with a great GPA and if I want to get a masters I need to think about getting letters of rec from my professors. Which is much harder for me being just a number in an online class.

---

OK, I WROTE A REPLY AND HIT "REPLY" AND THIS IS WHAT POSTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND I'M GETTING FRUSTRATED. I REFUSE TO REPLY TWICE, AFTER SPENDING TIME WRITING SOMETHING THOUGHTFUL TO SOMEONE. WHAT IS GOING ON????

Not sure what happened but that's unfortunate. I find value in your thoughtful responses.

[MNomadic]

https://www.statnews.com/2018/08/14/medi...ing-class/

It looks like even medical students are increasingly finding more value and time efficiency in independent studying at home vs attending lectures.

[eLearner]

Post that over at Student Doctor forum and the pitchforks will come out regardless of the truth it contains. I really feel sorry for those people and whoever has to work with them :-(