Just recently, I heard that SLIS Indy was trying to develop an entirely online degree. First off, I think that this is a great a idea. With IU pretty much being the only library school in the state, this would be an enormous help for those who have to drive long distances to either Bloomington or Indianapolis. From what I've heard from alumni, IU has already come a long way from when there was a residence requirement for all Library Science students, where at least once semester had to be done in a traditional week-long format on the Bloomington campus. And now there are many classes available online, but still, a degree available completely online will really change things.
I've taken a few online classes and have really enjoyed them. However, I know that they are not for everybody. It takes a considerable amount of motivation to do your work on your own time. Plus, the lack of face to face interaction might be a negative to some students and faculty. Also, I would imagine that some subjects just wouldn't transfer over well into a digital course. For example, I took cataloging online during a condensed summer session. I did fine in the class, but it was a real challenge. The instructor was amazingly available if you had concerns, but still you were pretty on your own and at the mercy of the textbook and course materials.
What are some your experiences with online classes? What are your thoughts of an online only degree?
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3 comments:
The first 3 SLIS classes I took were online. At the time, I didn't mind and thought that they were pretty convenient. You are right... it is a little difficult to rely on your own motivation for getting your work done. Also, no matter the availability of the professor, sometimes it feels like you have to figure the information out for yourself (i also took cataloging online.. though during a full semester).
Comparing my online experience to my in-class experience, I much prefer the latter. No matter the amount of forum postings required or "group" work, I felt much more disconnected from the program and from my fellow students/professors when our relationships were entirely online.
I think that in today's world, an entirely online degree would probably make things a lot easier for a lot of people. It's possible that the quality of the education wouldn't suffer and the success would be great. But I really think (just from experiencing both sides), that the disconnect could hinder the actual enjoyment of the program.. if that makes sense.
I think online programs do have some major advantages to them. For someone like me, who needs to work full-time, having the ability to work and go to class is a wonderful thing! Especially if I don't have to flex-time my work schedule or commute to a different city.
However, I do think there are some disadvantages to having a strictly online program. For one thing, the students miss out on a crucial networking component. I have taken a dozen or so online courses in my academic career and I know firsthand how hard it is to know your professors and your other classmates. It is double-hard to network with them when you only know them in a virtual space. I can't imagine my experience here in the SLIS program without the relationships I have formed with professors and my classmates. I value those relationships and think my education benefited from them. I would lose a certain part of that in an online environment.
Also, the cost of online programs tends to be higher than the traditional path. Plus, there are no real options for graduate assistantships to help offset the tuition cost if no one actually attends a physical campus. The cost alone could lock out a certain percentage of interested students.
I certainly think offering more online courses is a good thing but I am still a bit hesitant about the complete cross-over to an online program.
As an instructor I can say that teaching online is extremely challenging and does not have the rewards of face-to-face classes. A big part of it is the inability to connect to the same degree online as in person. That being said, for many people online classes are the only option available...
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