Rutgers Report Views Online Classes As the Future

[Tango Two]

"If we're going to make Rutgers as accessible and affordable as we can, we've got embrace online portals," university President Robert Barchi told the board.

Among the challenges facing this form for education is the concern of faculty, Novak said in his report. Less than one-third of all chief academic officers at colleges university, 29.1 percent, believe their faculty accepts the value and legitimacy of online educational programs.


https://www.tapinto.net/towns/new-b...ers-report-views-online-classes-as-the-future

 

[LevaosLectures]

This thinking is so 5 years ago. Online learning is a joke.

 

[BoroKnight]

I don't doubt there is skepticism, but did those chief academic officers actually ask the faculty for an opinion? There are some under 50, after all.

 

[srru86]

Daily Targum
Rutgers nearly doubles online course offerings from year before
My not very bold prediction: Online is going to grow, but not replace, traditional classroom education.
100% online learning is not quite as far-fetched as flying cars but there are some similarities.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Horrible idea.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Online learning was the future 10 years ago. Now its a weakly justified move to improve the bottom line. Nothing more. Even Barchi barely conceals this in his comments.

 

[sct1111]

This thinking is so 5 years ago. Online learning is a joke.

A lot of my classes at Rutgers were basically studying the PowerPoint presentations. I didn't need to be in class for most of them. How is that different then online classes?

 

[retired711]

Notice that most of the quotes come from the head of Continuing Education, which conducts, for instance, certificate programs for non-students. Notice also the quotes from the professor about how difficult it is to design an on-line course. We're a long way away from large courses being taught on-line, let alone the replacement of traditional education. So much of education comes from being with one's peers in college that it's hard for me to imagine the end of the college experience.

 

[RUseaweed]

As someone currently enrolled in an online masters program (Astronautical Engineering through USC) my opinion is obviously skewed towards my own choices.

However, I think some online masters degrees are suitable replacements to in-class learning. Arguably more of the undergraduate experience is about interacting with classmates and balancing life around campus than attending classes. When it comes to masters degrees though, I find that having work and hands-on experience (elsewhere in my day) contributes more to the educational experience than when the concepts are still abstract. Attending classes remotely allows for way more flexibility in both my work and academic schedules. I take the same tests, do the same homework, and watch the same lectures as those in class.

PhDs, particularly in engineering and the sciences, requires way more immersion in the field of study than any other level of achievement, and I think those should remain in-residence only.

 

[rutgersdave]

A lot of my classes at Rutgers were basically studying the PowerPoint presentations. I didn't need to be in class for most of them. How is that different then online classes?

I didn’t need the professor even though I went to classes. I usually just read the book 2-4 times to understand the material.