Saturday, April 11, 2015

Online? Hybrid? Web-enhanced?

What, from your perspective, should Lincoln most productively be doing with respect to online teaching and learning?  
  • Should we be developing more totally online courses?  (If so, should they be options for our current students or just for new, non-resident populations?) 
  • Should we be developing totally online programs?  (If so, in what disciplines and why?)
  • Should we be focusing mainly on hybrid courses [= classes still meet face to face but some of the normal seat time is replaced by online activities]?  (If so, how do you see them enhancing student learning?)
  • Should we at least be encouraging web-enhanced learning in our classes [= regular seat time but more assignments using Internet-based resources] ? (If so, what training/resources do you need to do so more effectively?)
Please add your thoughts, whether by raising additional questions or by providing your answers for any of the questions posed above.

12 comments:

  1. To be current and competitive, we have to explore all options (and see which ones are productive and which ones are not).

    Safro Kwame

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  2. Agreed. So what, in your opinion and with respect to what you are doing in your courses, would seem to be most productive?

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    1. I do not know (what would seem to be most productive). We have to experiment.

      Safro Kwame

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  3. In terms of Lincoln’s historic mission, we should develop a higher quality of intake for our regular programs. This approach is no different from emphasizing a high quality of education during the early years of human development.

    Our mission compels us to improve our classroom and theatres of education alongside a sustainable academic culture on our campus, where our distinctive competences have been and should be.

    If we are interested in maximizing revenue, there are many program hybrids that we could take online and educate people. But I do not believe that online programs, hybrid or otherwise is part of Lincoln’s traditional mission.

    The resources that we put out in the hopes of making more money could be better spent to replace the modules-buildings and put a new roof on Dickey Hall, opening more classrooms to enhance the freshman class and improve the culture of academic learning right here on campus. Excellence is ‘made of sterner stuff.’ Productivity in the use of capital could lead to greater financial rewards online, but we may end up being worse off in terms educating a human mind.

    Ganga Ramdas

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    1. You raise an important point, Ganga. Good technology-driven courses cost money for building the technology infrastructure and training people in its use.And of course the question is whether that's the best use of limited funds. I take it your vote would be to do what we can to enhance the face-to-face learning experience that we offer our students. (Then again, nowadays even f2f courses involve technology some for better some for worse.

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    2. We can all now look to the North star. May God help us to get where we are going.

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  4. Thank you for your valuable blog Dr. Stine and the comments.
    Relative to your questions, I would go for hybrid.
    Can instructors once in a while come into the class to show us how it can be useful?
    Good wishes!
    Kaukab Siddique

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  5. The idea about instructors coming to the actual classroom is a really good suggestion, Dr. Siddique. I'll talk with Nancy Evans and maybe we can figure out a system to do just that next year, whether via technology mentors or a new faculty circle or whatever. And I agree with you on the benefits of hybrid instruction; to me it's the best of both worlds with the immediacy of face-to-face contact enhanced by the convenience of asynchronous online learning.

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    1. Thanks for illuminating the benefits of the hybrid Dr. Siddique and Dr. Stein.

      At the institutional and program level we should be thinking strategically and continue to emphasize liberal arts education, using the best practices to sharpen our distinctive competences with a view to move Lincoln towards valuable professions, such as law, economics, engineering and the mathematical sciences.

      Such a strategy would help attract and magnetize all of our academic components to really develop mission critical and much enhanced valuable programs at Lincoln University.

      We should not let the 'tail wag the dog.'

      Ganga Ramdas

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  6. I think we should consider an online university. This branch would offer online classes for those seeking fully online classes. Then, we can meet the needs of our residential/traditional students and reach out to others who desire to learn in a different way.

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    1. Sure, we should (consider an online university)!

      Safro Kwame

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    2. It seems the traditional Lincoln student, who is in campus, should be limited to hybrid classes. Strictly online may not be the right avenue as f2f, where they can ask questions, make comments, etc. My current course is strictly "online" and most of my optional discussion threads are empty. There are also several students who apparently forgot they signed up for the course, and some who can't meet the deadlines because they "didn't check their email", or, or, or. One needs plenty of self-discipline for an online course.

      However, for students nowhere near campus, it should be a viable alternative.

      Carl Wilson

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