I’ve been pondering this question for a good number of years.
Most online courses still consist largely of readings followed by quizzes. The better ones include video lectures, and the really good ones include include interactive elements. The very best ones include simulations and games and other activities.
Whatever the format, we’ve come to realize that nurturing a community of learners is key.
That’s all well and good, but I could never see how any of this could match the experiences I have had with my classes when I taught face to face.
Lately, I’ve been hearing people talk about how ground-breaking these new massively online courses are, and I’ve been having trouble understanding what’s so amazing about them. Finally, while listening to this TED talk, I stumbled upon an answer.
Daphne Koller: What we’re learning from online education | Video on TED.com.
Turns out, they’re not. They are, however a vast improvement over what normally happens in the classroom.
It seems that most undergraduate university courses – especially those in big, arrogant schools – are lousy. They consist of enormous classes where ‘famous’ professors lecture from the front, but who never actually interact with most of their students. The students might as well be watching a video.
Compared to that, of COURSE these online courses are better – they provide students with access to all the things Daphne Koller says are wonderful about these massive courses. Things that I have routinely done for my students directly my entire career.
Now I get it.
Online isn’t better than what I do – but it IS better then what is usually done. Of course, this new model is not all sunshine and teddy bears, either (see Ian Bogost’s comments).
