Page 242 - Crisis in Higher Education

Redesigning Curriculum and Pedagogy • 213

Many faculty members are concerned about the quality of online educa-
tion, wondering how much and what students are learning. Do students
gain knowledge and conceptual insights or do online courses encourage
memorization of terms and facts? In some cases, faculty compensation
for online courses is based on the number of students enrolled, so reduc-
ing content and setting lower standards for student performance might
encourage enrollment. The latter point is easily addressed if course con-
tent, test preparation, and determination of final grade are separated from
instruction. When online learning has no face-to-face meetings, there are
concerns that students cannot have meaningful interactions with faculty,
so they do not have the same learning opportunities. There is little chance
to network with other students, and it is more difficult to build study
groups and learn from each other.
Security is important with online learning. Even with face-to-face
classes there are concerns about whether students prepare their home-
work assignments, write their term papers, and construct PowerPoint
slide decks for their presentations. Or does someone else do the work? But
in face-to-face classes, it is clear who shows up to take tests. Even in very
large face-to-face classes, picture IDs can be checked to verify that the
right person takes the exam. That explains why most face-to-face courses
rely heavily on in-classroom midterm and final exams to determine
final course grades. Online courses typically use electronic rather than
face-to-face testing, which makes it easier for someone else to take the test.

10.2.2.2 Moving Forward with Online Learning
Having online capabilities is also advantageous for face-to-face classes.
Passing course syllabi, homework assignments, reading materials, and
other items electronically is so much easier, consumes less paper, and pre-
vents the excuse that students do not have course materials because they
missed class. Plus, interactive, e-learning tools, video capture of lectures,
electronic collection of homework assignments, and other capabilities
make face-to-face classes better. This approach, which is called blended
learning, is used in many courses because it captures the best features of
traditional and online methods.
There are great opportunities for online courses and programs that have
no face-to-face meetings and all interactions are electronic because costs
can be less and student assess can be easier. Plus, the reach of top faculty
and the best universities is greatly enhanced, so students have access to the