Show Me The Money!

Why are online classes so much more expensive than traditional ones? 

         Online systems have drastically changed the experience of higher education. Unfortunately  they have also had a significant impact on our wallets as well. For instance, my online classes this semester average around 100-150 dollars more expensive than my in-class courses. How can this be if I am utilizing my own computer and don't take up the space in the facility? We hear so often that reasons behind course management system’s success are due to its effectiveness and immediacy that help educators interact with their students in a cost-effective manner. Yet, with the high prices of these classes we as student question the value of the course itself. If I am paying all of this money, I hope I am receiving equal, if not better quality of education than if I were to pay less and profit from face to face interaction as well. Often times, students who are taking online courses are those that need the extra time to work full-time. The extra cost of these online classes is counterproductive to their progress.  I took two of my courses online this semester due to scheduling. I am taking a total of nineteen credit hours, work two jobs and have an internship as well. I barely have time to sleep and eat let alone create a perfect schedule allowing time slots for every class I take. In this regard, I do believe the extra cost of the classes was worth it. However, I do believe it is important to explore other options.

         Do these high-class prices have more to do with the Blackboard system or the higher-education system itself? The answer is the higher-education system such as Florida State University. It cost the university extra money to create a class online. There are a myriad of different services that both the teacher and student are required to accommodate for. Most of these problems stem from software. If there are technical issues, tech support is available to both teacher and student, but at a price. Travis Johnson of the Minnesota State College Students Association states that even though online classes "create more flexibility  the increased cost is an offsetting barrier. That's just really a concern to us. There's campuses that dont even charge a difference, and then there's some that charge a lot more." Apparently the actual process of putting up a class online presents more difficulties than you would imagine. This affords faculty a pay increase as well. It is disheartening for students as well since most of the time, the materials needed are available online too, so the cost of the textbook isn't even a factor.

Moodle vs. Blackboard

          While all course management systems make virtual education a reality, why is it that one stands out above the rest?  

The competition to become the leading online education system is pretty much non-existent. Course management systems such as Moodle or Sakai don't even stand a chance against Blackboard, though some still do exist today. Moodle is still used by some including University of San Francisco and University of Washington. But why? Blackboard has become synonymous with course-management systems as Kleenex has with tissue paper. The terms are inseparable from each other.

However, many do favor Moodle for several reasons. Moodle is less expensive to operate and much more flexible. Many functions in Blackboard are rather stiff and do not easily adapt to the user’s needs. Moodle has become very popular with teachers that want to create their own learning management system for their students. It was my impression that course management systems like Blackboard are a tool provided by a large company as opposed to being personalized in some cases by a sole individual. This demonstration site shows the ins and outs of the software.

Problems with Moodle occur when there are operating system incompatibilities. For example, copying and pasting from one program like Text Edit or Microsoft Word and pasting into the course management system itself. This would be especially problematic while completing online assignments such as discussion board posts.  Moodle needs to also be installed onto a web server or your own computer. Some, including myself, find this aspect alone to be undesirable. Why would I want a system where I could only use it on certain machines that already have Moodle on their server. 

            In a video on Wired Campus, the leaders of both Blackboard and Moodle attempt to sell their product to the audience. While Blackboard is still "winning the battle for learning management software", Moodle is growing on college campuses  In the future, Moodle will go mobile and use all aspects of the phone software such as gps and camera can be accessed. In the future, users of Blackboard will be able to recognize when others are on the system and, similar to instant messaging on Facebook, will allow concepts of immediacy to arise. Interestingly enough, most people who are teaching online, havent been in an online course themselves. Moodle addresses this problem and offers programs to "educate the educators"to further enhance communication between teacher and student. This also constantly improves the quality of online education that one will receive.             While I have not used Moodle, it does have advantages I find interesting and unique to a course-management system. However, through and through I appreciate the consistency and formality of Blackboard and feel more confident being familiar with a system more commonly used.  

TEDtalks: Online Education

Check out this amazing video of Daphne Koller at a Tedtalks convention, speaking on the importance of education for all and the free virtual education system Coursera! This system brings courses from top universities and the best professors online for free. There are quizes, discussion board posts, graded assignments and everything expected from a system of this kind.

Blackboard Mobile Learn Experience at Shenzhen University

Blackboard Mobile Learn Experience at Shenzhen University

Here you will see student testaments from using Blackboard systems at a higher-education learning facility in China, displaying the massive effect of virtual education all across the globe.

The Effect of Student Relationships in Distance Learning Courses

       Are students in distance learning situations lacking relationships with their peers? How do the students themselves feel about this? Some students oppose this, believing that if there is a question or issue they would rather go straight to the professor who knows the most. Others think that establishing relationships and a community of learners is important when presented with collaborative learning assignments. Since issues of lack of motivation and a sense of isolation are common, student relationships amongst each other are important. There are several factors that can effect the interaction among students including the specific course, the teacher's style, the specific online program(blackboard), the student's style of learning and motivational factors. If students are not forced to interact with each other in an online course, the chances are that they wont. If a course is more difficult, students may reach out to others to try and understand the material further, if it is convenient for them. Since the class is online, it is extremely convenient to contact someone on the class list. You can do it on your couch in your pajamas! Teachers are very interactive with the student in their courses, give the circumstances. They create video lectures, and post materials including an overly detailed syllabus. Teachers can promote student-student relationships by creating assignments that require interaction such as discussion board posts offering opinions on the lesson topic.

      I have mixed feelings on the matter. On one hand, I appreciate independent learning and the flexibility of an online course. However, I feel as though I completely lose peer interaction on online courses, even with activities like discussion boards that are specifically designed toward interaction and debate. I also like forming relationships with my teachers so I can feel comfortable asking for help or even a recommendation letter. When classes are online, they are often very large in number and due to the presence of teaching assistants, I basically never speak with the actual instructor themselves. It also depends on the type of class. If this is a class I know I will have difficulty with, I will chose to take the class on-site. I appreciate and enjoy the classes that combine both traditional and virtual education systems. Does the stronger presence of online classes mean we are missing out on traditional education?

     Dependency on course management systems is often associated with laziness, technological glitches and the assumption that every person can easily access a technology system. With education becoming more expensive year after year, does virtual education unintentionally discourage those who don’t have access to technology from receiving an education at all? Also, since course management systems and online classes are so widely utilized these days, gaining the knowledge to operate these systems is almost common sense to those already in the educational system. Are we alienating those without this knowledge? I honestly do no know if I could picture the university setting without its dependence on technology, which I do admit scares me a little. However, considering everything the internet has done for us so far, the only way to go is up!