Comments on: Universities register for virtual future

Students may soon meet with professors once a week and then use simulations, virtual worlds and downloads to complete coursework.

[ajbright]

"Technology has to play a huge role in education."

Someone, I feel, is taking the ....

Technology already HAS played a huge role in education.

Now instead of at least learning to read when they do their home copying assignments (you know, when kids used to copy the contents of library books instead of doing their homework) they now skip that step and simply cut and paste.

Instead of wasting their time daydreaming or throwing things at teachers, they now waste their time watching their teacher fumble with technology or sift through a gagillion useless Google hits on the subject they thought they were teaching.

Yes technology has made math geniuses of every checkout person - you know the sort of math savant that can press all those colorful buttons but can't work out why you know they have short changed you - or why you gave them $10.09 when the checkout PC only asked for $9.09 (then proceed to give you your 9 cents back before handing over another 91).

Yes thanks to technology my kids will become Leatherworking graduates in World of Warcraft, and have some truly job or college application rejecting profiles on Myspace.

Still you never know - one day these kids will be our future teachers, and while they won't know jack about say, anything worthwhile, they will be able to show the kids how to sync their MP4 players or post videos of school fights on anonymous Web 2.0 profiles.

[ProfessorFry]

WOOSH - There goes the point you missed

While there are many examples of people using technology as a crutch, there are also many opportunities to use new technologies, specifically game technologies, to teach and communicate more effectively. This does not mean that you stop teaching the fundamentals but, rather, find new modes of teaching that work better for a wide variety of people. The teacher fumbling through the technology is not the fault of the student, how can you put that on them? And more and more teachers are entering the educational system who can use these new technologies effectively so the problem will resolve itself over time.

No offense, but you sound like the typical pre-home computer parent who doesn't "get it", and therefore it must have no value. Since you use a computer, and did so to post your response, do you use the spell checker, calculator, etc. for any of your work? If so, why? Go pull out the slide rule, Oxford pocket dictionary, paper ledger and college ruled paper and do your work that way.

Instead of painting the future as a bleak wasteland of useless information and tools that will turn our kids into dullards, how about trying to see some of the positive tools and technologies that will help our kids to learn more, understand our world better and become more productive members of society. Hell, I remember clerks at local stores growing up who could not calculate correct change long before calculators were available to the public. Stupid people have been around long before computers ever existed.

[Cal0001]

Online Education Misses the Point of Higher Education

Being of a generation just graduating in the last year, I believe that the point of going to a university is being over looked.

Anyone would agree that a four year degree is of great value into todays society. I have taken part in online classes and understand their value. They remove time constraints giving people flexibility to live their lives as they wish. This is great for parents and working professionals.

The problem is that people who choose to attend a online university miss out on the value of a traditional undergraduate education. A traditional university builds a culture that most often focuses on building social skills, such as the ability to communicate and work as a team.

Unfortunately students who take advantage of online degrees (or take a balk of their classes online) do not necessarily acquire these social skills through their educational environment. Typing on a message on and online forum, chatting with an instructor, sending out group emails, or even meeting people in a virtual world does not teach you how to interact with people within an office environment. Employers want people that can gather in meeting rooms, speak their ideas clearly, and have some professional grace.

If I were an employer hiring a recent graduate for a professional position, I would put more value a traditional four year college degree over a four year online degree. I would go as far to place more value on a two technical degree over a four year online degree. Unless of course the individual had strong work background to support their online degree.

[ShinobiKoushaku]

Workplace changes

I think it is worth noting that the office is changing.

Colleges are responsible for preparing undergrads for what the world will be like for them. If a college were to fall behind on the times and fail to embrace distance learning it would result in graduates who will not be able to participate in the new workplace.

I think that the colleges who are creating an online presence are doing a service to their students, providing them with an environment that many companies are beginning to use as well.

Just imagine being a business student having never used Second Life, or having only informally chatted with friends online, to all of a sudden be expected to submit reports online or offer presentations in a virtual environment.

Times change, and so must these institutions. Luckily, many have been changing. Hopefully the trend will continue as we enter a new world, a different world, where maybe the skills we use to get ahead will require a different type of education.

What is most important after all is that information gets across. If technology allows that information to flow more freely for everyone, that in my opinion, it is a progress.

[kkdenni]

Great Opportunities

I teach at a large state university in the midwest, and I know that there is currently a move to add more online courses to the offerings in my department. I agree with the 'misses the point' responder to an extent. There is something about being in a university environment that adds greatly to the learning experience. I know that from my own undergraduate experience (many years ago, I might add). However, as I am now a doctoral student, a wife and mother, and much, much older, I also have experienced benefit from online courses. I agree that the best alternative might be a blended approach. However, online teaching is not (should not be) just posting of notes on a website. The use of online teaching creates the need for educators to develop and modify curriculum that is appropriate for the online environment.