On 5/22/07, Dr. T. Michael Roberts <dr_haqiqah@yahoo.com> wrote:
We are moving, in practice, toward an educational system where the good students learn online and the students who need lots of help are taught face to face.
I can't help but view this discussion through the lens of (a) my student affairs background and (b) current trends in funding, financial aid, and access in the United States. Given that, it seems to me that ideally the decision of how one should "attend class" would be made primarily based on the learner's desired learning style. But I think it's pretty clear that many other factors play into this, including economics (on both the supply and demand sides) and pressures related to cultural and personal circumstances. Further, it has not been my experience that many students, particularly undergraduates, choose to "attend" online classes because it's their preferred style. Instead, they seem to choose it because of the flexibility in scheduling, geographic independence, and course/instructor availability. I am sure that is changing over time but it relates strongly to a previous comment about demand outstripping supply as institutions try to balance or increase their resources. On a broader scale, SES *has* to play a role in this. Will we eventually move into a future where only the rich can afford (a word with many denotations and connotations) a traditional, face-to-face education? Will residential liberal arts institutions remain the domain of the elite as others "choose" distance education (because it's cheaper, not because it offers an equivalent or better education)? Kevin