Educational Cocoons?
According to recent business news, Jack Welch, a former CEO of General Electric, and another provider of educational services have apparently combined resources to create a new online "university" specializing in business education. It is the latest development in a burgeoning new entrepreneurial trend emphasizing so-called personalized educational programs that one completes on his/her own schedule at home and/or on the job, as evidenced by the unending advertisements for such services in print media and on the internet and television.
Among the concerns of educational traditionalists are (1) the real potential for scams/rip-offs in this new educational arena (which is considerable) and (2) the detachment/separation of many online providers from reputable universities with an established "track record".
The word and concept of a "university" has its origins in a Latin phrase roughly translated as a community of teachers and scholars, and many of the first universities in Medieval Europe were an evolutionary continuation or outgrowth of learning in monasteries under communal and personal face-to-face interactive conditions such as tutorials and seminars.
It does not seem likely or even probable to some observers of this new "crop" of educational providers that they are continuing the time-tested best practices of the traditional campus-based university. For example, while some academic subjects/skills essential for an MBA (e.g., Statistics) and for an MFA in Creative Writing (e.g., Journal Writing and the necessarily lonely task of writing itself) might be learned well in the educational "cocoon" or isolation of one's home, what about the equally essential skills of human relations (lab simulations of problem-solving) in an MBA and seminar interactivity of a community of writers in an MFA?
I personally can affirm that some of my best officer leadership training in the military occurred in simulations with real people interacting, and some of my most valuable/insightful experiences in creative writing occurred during personal interactions in groups, seminars and workshops. The absence of such learning experiences in online programs is surely a serious deficiency.
I am not categorically questioning/indicting the worth of all online "distance learning" programs, especially when they are written and taught by faculty at reputable universities with actual campuses. In fact, for full disclosure, I formerly worked in that area as a course writer, editor and instructor. The greater variety of such course offerings can provide learning opportunities not otherwise available on many campuses. Thus, utilizing these resources on a supplementary basis can serve one's educational interests well, but I think educational leaders/theorists need to raise serious questions, as done in this blog, about the worth and quality of any education completed exclusively online, particularly from new entrepreneurial providers without any proven record in educational services.
In conclusion, many of us in this Red Room community, certainly myself, would be interested in blog comments below about personal online or distance-learning experiences as well as views about the more general educational issues explored in my blog here.
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About Brenden
After completing AFROTC and serving active and reserve military duty, I earned an M.A., with specialities in linguistics and creative writing. I have worked both at several major regional corporations (generating public relations...
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What can technology do for education?
Mr. Allen,
Integrating technology with education (online courses such as this one) is something I find questionable. Though I belong to a generation which would gladly accept online courses which allow me to finish a course at my own pace (and an iPad or Macbook on the first day...), I still find that I cannot do without the community: the professor as a facilitator and guide, with classmates as individuals to exchange discourse with.
It's so ironic that the internet, the purpose of which is to bridge gaps, causes even more alienation from what we call the "outside world."
Zenaida
The Social Element
Online courses can teach, and people can acquire both knowledge and degrees from them. But not everyone learns in the same way, and the lack of a social element in their learning experience will negatively affect many.
I compare online education to working from home for a company, or working remotely, as we term it within our corporation. It shares the same principle, management by objective, with little concern for the participants' behavior or their interaction, so long as results are achieved.
Working remotely provides a greater challenge to individuals to keep up on their own; they must motivate themselves, determine when they need help, find the help, and they must maintain greater discipline and focus. Going to an office helps frame the experience by controlling the environment and creating a setting conducive to working. Likewise, going to school in a class room established focus, in an environment conducive to learning.
The working from home versus online education experiences don't compare in every facet, though. The education experience online is more structured and can teach to the test. That's exactly how my corporation enforces annual security, business control, and ethics training requirements. Without much thought and effort, I can quickly identify what questions will be asked and what answers should be given without assimilating the information.
The result: the course has been given, an obligation fulfilled, but have I learned? And where is the failing here: does it fall on the corporation for using this methodology, or on me, for not applying myself to a greater extent? Is there a failing, for that matter? The score shows that I passed so my requirement has been fulfilled, as the corporation's requirement has been fulfilled. I am not required to learn, and they are not required to teach. They must present the information, and I must pass the test. We both did that, and the score is the proof.
Is that what online education is about?
When managing people from home, I discovered I needed to adjust management styles, tailoring them more for each individual. I could not read body language when my employees weren't in the same room, so non-verbal feedback via body language was non-existent. Building teamwork and bonding via parties and social get-togethers isn't available for remote employees so this was an area requiring more focus and effort.
Now, after years of encouraging remote relationships and working from home, my corporation is reversing the trend. It used to brag that 40% of the people employed in the United States work from home or remotely. it was seen as a indicator for being cutting edge and technologically advanced, 'business hip'.
It has changed in the last six months. People who are coded to work from a traditional campus must come into their office four days a week. They can work from home one day a week but everyone can not work from home on the same day, and a manager must now approve 'work from home schedules'. As working from home was encouraged to help with work/life balance, reduce budgets, and decrease stresses induced by daily commutes (and a 'green' initiative), among other reasons, reversing the trend is a surprise. Management hasn't been coherent about the about face. Some managers have said it was because it was increasingly difficult to find people to ask questions, while other managers say the reversal was due to a lack of synergy and accountability.
I don't think the advantages and disadvantages of online education or telecommuting are so clearly delineated. Online education and its success, like working from home, will depend upon the courses and subject matters, the goals, and the individual. But many who attended traditional schools and graduated look back at the experience as something more than just going to classes and earning degrees. Some would not have passed were other classmates not there to help with study sessions, share notes, and encourage one another. They established friendships, alliances, and social networks. They learned the next level of social interaction. Some found romance. Many look back on it as a great time in their life. I wonder, in twenty years, how many people getting degrees and education online, will cast fond looks back on their education experience?
Will it matter, if they have a degree?
Michael, Insightful and
Michael,
Insightful and probing analysis worthy of being posted as a separate blog. You've established yourself as a most credible authority on this subject. [Not having looked at my own comments since November, I apologize for my late acknowledgement of your viewpoints.