EDUC 8842 - Module 1

After reading the articles and listening to the video, I suddenly didn't feel so alone. Right now, my school is trying to grow our online campus, but in my opinion we're going about it the wrong way. There is a strong desire to just "put classes online" rather than an understanding that they need to be put up the right way. In the Anderson text, there is a quote from Rossett (2002) that states online learning has many promises, but it takes commitment and resources, and must be done right. Growing the online campus must be "done right" which means developing the right tools to engage students and promote learning. The advantages of distance learning are that students are able to continue their education without the same sacrafices as traditional learning. They are able to attend classes when they are able, rather than being confined to specific class times. I feel as if I'm having the same debate over and over again as to why we can't just add classes online without regard to the quality of that class. I don't believe that teaching is teaching and all faculty can conduct online courses. There has to be a paradigm change if we are to successfuly grow online campus. Distance learning as a whole is changing, and in order to continue to provide quality education it has to stop being perceived as the "stepchild of education."