Online courses are permitting many students to take Ohio State classes without having to step onto campus. Sponsored by Technology Enhanced Learning and Research, online coursework is part of the university’s eLearning initiative to bring distance education close to home.
On average around 30 online classes are offered per quarter out of about 10,000 total course sections – each supervised by a professor. Students can take classes in areas such as art education, pharmacy, nursing and engineering. Any given course can have from one to 200 students enrolled and function like a traditional class with assignments and deadlines. Some are also self-paced.
Although not many online courses are offered, the idea of using the Internet instead of a classroom may cause more of an inconvenience than students think. Online courses may allow students to take classes that fit their schedule and permit professors to teach anywhere in the world, but the benefit from direct student-faculty interaction outweighs any instruction a computer could provide.
When students sign up for online courses, many have misconceptions about the rigorous coursework work ahead of them. Because online courses are not held in a classroom, a lot of students may not take them seriously.
If procrastination is a problem, online courses aren’t as effective at keeping people accountable for their work. Also, if a professor doesn’t have regular office hours, students may not know where to go if they need help. Students may use the online factor of the class as a crutch,forgetting – classroom or no classroom – real work is involved.
For some people, online courses are necessary if they don’t have the time and access to take classes on campus. They may fit a student’s learning style better than face-to face time with a professor. But a problem can occur when an abundance of online courses start replacing those normally classroom taught.
So far the university has done well in using eLearning more as a classroom supplement, rather than a substitute. Like all things used in moderation, online courses can help students earn their degree in a timely fashion. But technology is meant to enhance learning, not take it over.
