From the Page to Your Computer Screen

by Hyatt Romeo

Gone are the days in which getting an education means sitting in a classroom.  With the emergence and development of new forms of online multimedia, more students and educators alike are giving up the pen and pad for the keyboard, literally taking their learning into their own hands.

In a recent meta-analysis report released by the U.S. Department of Education, online learning is defined as “learning that takes place partially or entirely over the Internet”, including classes conducted entirely online, and classes that are hybridized between online learning instruction, and face to face time in a classroom.  The Department of Education reported that, “Studies in which learners in the online condition spent more time on task than students in the face-to-face condition found a greater benefit for online learning.” And while spending more time on a task has generally been a cornerstone to success in any endeavor, students may be able to take better advantage of their time while learning online, by means of giving students control over their interactions with the material.  “Studies indicate that manipulations that trigger learner activity or learner reflection and self-monitoring of understanding are effective when students pursue online learning as individuals,” the report says. 

So for individuals pursuing an education online, what are the ups and downs? For some, taking a course online is easier on their budget, and there are no travel expenses to get to class.  Therefore, convenience and flexibility are two major pluses to enrolling in an online education course.  “I like that I can do it from anywhere,” says Arizona State University student Alex Ronyak, who has taken multiple courses online in pursuit of a degree in Computing Information Systems.  When one factors in time spent in the classroom and convenience, an online or hybrid class may be a viable education solution for those with a busy schedule, and while online classes are better for those who are visual learners, they aren’t for everybody. “Remembering dates were hard, because there was no teacher lecturing every day,” says Jeremy Jushchyshyn, an Engineering major at ASU.  “I failed the class because I missed the first test by an hour,” says Jushchyshyn.  Such circumstances are the drawback of an online education, with lack of instructor face time, little support, and making time to complete assignments. “You’re on your own, you get the syllabus, and you just go,” says Ronyak, “you need to have a lot of self-discipline to get the work done.”

With the demand for online courses constantly growing, for students, and business professionals alike, educators are constantly trying to improve methods to reach students through interactive content, not simply viewing a power point lecture for class. The Department of Education report states, “Elements such as video or online quizzes do not appear to influence the amount that students learn in online classes.”  No longer are teachers taking the “standard” approach to online learning.  Onlignment, a website dedicated to topics involving online communication, suggests John Keller’s Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model to motivate online learners.  The model emphasizes grabbing the learner’s attention through sensory stimuli that the web has to offer, including sound, animation, and thought-provoking discussion.  The instantaneous communication and discussion opportunities students have access to on the web must be utilized in order for thought provoking discussion to take place. Making the content relevant to the learner’s real life is also a must, while at the same time, ensuring that the learner has the confidence to succeed in the course and take something out of it, providing satisfaction in the course as a result.

In a recent New York Times article by Steve Lohr, Monica Martinez, the president of the New Tech Network, said, “The promise of technology is to take us back to the past, toward one-to-one learning,” speaking about the uses of new technology in education, “but this is returning back to that concept in a very different way.” With thousands of degrees available at various accredited online colleges, and numerous universities across the nation already participating in hybrid and online courses, there is no doubt that the way students and educators look at education is constantly changing and evolving, and will continue to do so.  With the click of a mouse, technology can provide and education and success at one’s fingertips.