Online Learning Is Misunderstood. Here's How.
- 2018-08-09
- Chronicle
One out of three college students takes at least one class online. But the medium is still often misunderstood by the general public, and even within higher education itself.
From Glori Hinck, an instructional designer at the University of St. Thomas, I heard a reminder that the classes aren’t just a one-way, “passive transfer of information.” Even online, she pointed out, “students can have a learning community.” I’d like to hope that is true in all cases, but certainly she’s right that such connections are possible — and ideal.
Online classes, she said, can bring together students from more diverse backgrounds — and allow them more chances to connect with each other — than many traditional classrooms do.