On a cold winter morning when the wind is howling outside the windows, the last thing many students want to do is get up out of their warm beds and hike across campus to an early morning lecture.
Some students have found a way around this situation by taking a course offered entirely over the Internet.
While many of the courses Ohio State provides as Web courses are upper-level classes available only to students in a certain major, a few general education curriculum classes offered over WebCT have been gaining popularity.
Human Nutrition 210D, which fulfills a science GEC requirement when combined with Biology 101, is one of OSU’s most successful Web courses.
“It’s convenient because you never have to get up and go to class, especially for people who have work schedules that interfere with their ability to do so. The course is essentially available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Dr. Jackie Buell, professor of the 210D course.
Meghan Hartranft, a sophomore in criminology, chose to take the course “because it was an easier way to tack on a couple more credits” and it fits in with her schedule.
Students complete most course work over the Internet, although they have to come to campus to take the midterm and final exams. Buell’s course is very interactive, integrating lecture material and readings with video clips, audio clips, illustrations and links to other Web sites.
“Students like the ability to start the lecture – and then, if they get bored or hungry or tired – to stop and come back later,” said Margaret Kessel, adjunct assistant professor in the school of Human Nutrition.
The biggest mistake students make is not taking the course seriously, thinking they can procrastinate until the last minute when technology can fail them, Buell said.
“The class is not good for people who slack off,” said Abbey Nolder, a 210D student. “I’ll read on the discussion boards that people forgot something was due. You have to go online everyday.”
The course uses WebCT’s discussion board and chat features, which provide students a way to communicate with the professor and other students. Buell checks the discussion boards three to four times a day and said she feels they give the course a less impersonal feel.
“I’m surprised at how well you get to know the students through their posts on the discussion boards,” Buell said. “I always look forward to exam days because I finally get to match a face to a name.”
Nolder said not having face-to-face contact with the professor made it hard to know what to expect on the midterm, but she said she felt it was a pretty straightforward exam.
Kessel developed the course after receiving requests from a large number of students on the branch campuses who wanted to take the course. There weren’t enough faculty to teach the class, and a Web version made it available to more students.
The enrollment has increased steadily since it was first offered in spring of 2000. This year’s spring quarter enrollment has been set at 175, which Buell believes is an optimal number for a successful course.
The school of Human Nutrition would love to offer more Web courses in the future, if the money becomes available, Kessel said.
“I’ve not had a quarter yet where I felt it wasn’t worth it to teach the course,” Buell said.
Buell enjoys teaching the Web course because it allows her to work and to stay at home with her children at the same time.
“It’s so convenient that it’s not funny. If I want to get up and pour a cup of coffee, I can,” Buell said.
