February 7, 2007
Can Second Life Solve Classroom Crowding?
In a report from Sun Microsystem’s Worldwide Education and Research Conference (which is taking place now in San Francisco), CNET News makes an interesting point about Second Life, the virtual world that’s becoming increasingly popular with colleges. To some campus officials, Second Life may still seem like a novelty. But to administrators at large, public universities, the technology offers a possible solution to classroom overcrowding.
The California State University system, for example, is worried that rising enrollment will put a pinch on classroom space. So Charles B. Reed, the system’s chancellor, says he expects his students to become more like telecommuters — meeting with professors and classmates once a week and spending the rest of their time downloading course work and hanging out in virtual worlds. —Brock Read
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This is a worthy idea… and should be developed… but there are some Neanderthals in higher education who might want to drag their feet (and knuckles) when anything new is proposed.
For example… how about law schools?
American Bar Association Standard 306: Distance Education
Currently, there are not any law schools approved by the ABA that provide a J.D. degree completely via correspondence study. In fact, the ABA’s general policy under Standard 304(f) states that “a law school shall not grant credit for study by correspondence.” However, there are exceptions to the general rule. Further, you should be aware of the fact that earning an education completely via correspondence study may drastically limit your ability to sit for the bar in many states.
http://www.abanet.org/legaled/distanceeducation/distance.html
— Dan Feb 7, 03:44 PM #
Second Life is an example of where we are going…universities will adapt to radiant technologies, or face extinction. With the nascent technologies, we will see the blossoming of virtual learning everywhere. Kiss the old medieval notions of education, robes, paper, lectures, and 19th century ideas of teaching, goodbye.
— j collins Feb 7, 06:43 PM #
Really? “Adapt…or face extinction.” Sounds like a false dichotomy to me. The fact is we do have a choice as to whether or not to adopt new technologies. Furthermore, to blindly pledge allegiance to all things flying the banner of progress and technology is misguided, irresponsible, and potentially dangerous.
— j dowd Feb 7, 08:23 PM #
It’s striking that Socrates never taught with a digital projector. Many Neanderthals in the Academy are conducting exciting research currently into the future of technology-enabled instruction, but the way forward is led by results, not speculation. Hitching Higher Ed’s cart to a single new technology or fad is short-sighted. New tools like podcasting or environments like Second Life provide powerful new modes in which master teachers can practice an ancient craft. Festina lente.
— kd Feb 7, 10:26 PM #
I really like this concept, however, more research is necessary to look at the impact on families. Since leaving home for college is part of the developmental process, what impact will virtual learning have on famlies who potential will have more adult children living at home?
— J. Edwards Feb 8, 09:19 AM #
Great. We’ll no longer have Freshmen and Seniors… we’ll have “noobs” and “leets”.
— wil weston Feb 8, 12:58 PM #
RE the Bar Association’s policy, likening distance education courses that fully utilize the most cutting edge technology, such as podcasting, to “correspondence study” is the genesis of much of the misunderstanding about distance ed. Students who are actively engaged in distance education are anything but correspondence students.
— D. Edson Feb 9, 12:15 PM #
If the problem is overcrowding due to increased student enrollment, then the solution is to use the $$ in additional enrollment to build more facilities and hire more instructors. It is attractive to administrators to lower overhead through the use of technology. Whatever technology that is used should be a useful ADJUNCT to instruction as a way to transmit content. But college courses have to be more than information transfer. They should include the shared insights into the subject matter of both students and faculty in a face to face setting. Who knows…we may inspire someone?
— Joseph Browne Feb 14, 12:53 PM #