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Online Higher Education
Cathy
Chapplow
Director, Recreation Services
Trinity Western
University
Online distance education has become a popular phrase in
the 21st Century. Many universities and colleges
are choosing to venture into the cyber campus market. These
efforts provide many benefits to the school and to the
distance learner, however some challenges need to be
overcome, also. As a Student Life professional, I am
concerned about how the role of Student Affairs will evolve
to fit online learning. How do you encourage people to build
relationships online? How will Student Affairs protect the
best interests of the student as traditional university
courses are redesigned into an information system focussed
world? The purpose of this paper is to determine the
benefits and difficulties in online higher education
learning and to examine the role of Student Affairs in
virtual education.
Information Technology and Education
The transformation of higher education is occurring
through the ability that universities have to offer online
classes. "Since the Gutenberg Bible was printed in 1456
using movable type, the technology of information storage,
retrieval, and transmission&endash;college's and
university's basic technology&endash;has remained
essentially constant. Indeed, the use of written records to
supplement oral teaching goes back to the fifth century B.C.
Since their inception, universities and colleges have relied
upon lectures, discussions and the written word because
these were the only technologies available," (Oblinger,
2000). Online higher education has transformed the
implementation of higher education and improved the benefits
for the learner and the teacher. Technology is affecting the
structure of the classroom in a way that it never has
before.
An innovative information technology idea that has helped
virtual education is the MOO. Multi-user domains (MUD) allow
multiple users to participate and interact online. Thorne
and Yoes define a MOO as a multi-user domain, object
oriented. "MOOs are Internet-accessible, text-mediated
virtual environments well suited for distance learning. MOOs
offer every participant the opportunity to construct spaces
and objects and to write code that in some way augments or
increases the functionality with these virtual spaces,"
(Thorne & Yoes). Because the teacher is not the focus or
the controller of the conversation, the online learner
benefits from a wider number of interactional
possibilities.
"One of the challenges to higher education will be to
identify those 'transactions' where humans are 'in the
middle' as opposed to those in which they add value,"
(Oblinger, 1998). Many student inquiries for information can
be handled by an information system, such as financial aid
or registering for classes. Course registration and tuition
bill payments can be easily streamlined through the use of
information systems. However, other areas will require human
intervention, such as answering individual questions and
providing student support.
Students are becoming more selective consumers. They
expect higher levels of customer services than ever before
because they have grown up in the electronic age where
everything is instantaneous. This generation has never known
life without the internet. A computer is seen as a
necessity, in line with a paper and pen. Competition in
higher education has reached new limits, now that online
learning is available. Students can select from a variety of
providers and many times they will select the university
that provides the most convenient method of studying, rather
than the best quality of education (Oblinger, 1998). This
ability to choose can be a real danger to the quality of
higher education.
Accreditation and quality assurance are two issues that
cyber universities will have to address very shortly.
Currently, anyone can post anything on the internet.
Assuring that there is a standard to adhere to, which
addresses the quality of education, is critical to the
future of cyber universities.
With an increasing interest in lifelong learning, more
non-traditional students are returning to school. This
influx will increase competition, enrolment capacities and
course offerings among universities. As we continue
throughout time, we will live longer, which will mean we
will possibly work longer and therefore we will have more
careers, which will require more training. "With estimates
that the typical citizen will need the equivalent of thirty
semester credits of coursework each ten years to keep up
with the changes that are coming, entrepreneurs see
opportunities for large profits," (Dunn 2000).
Universities will need to be on the cutting edge of
providing desired training opportunities. Virtual
universities will allow educational providers to expand
beyond their geographical limitations. "For virtual
universities, the trick will be to tread carefully through
the transition era, not getting too far ahead of the pack,
but still leading the way to a new educational world,"
(Thrall 1999).
Benefits in Online Higher Education Learning
Asynchronous learning can be defined as "Lack of temporal
concurrence; absence of synchronism," (American Heritage
Dictionary, 1992). This type of learning happens anytime and
anywhere, as opposed to synchronous learning, where people
are together at the same place and the same time. This word
has been created to explain how online learning occurs. This
style of instruction, where the professor and the students
do not need to be at the same place at the same time is the
essence of online higher education. This is the main benefit
to the student and the professor. In a wireless world,
professors are able to give out assignments and lectures at
any time from anywhere, and students are able to access this
information at any time from anywhere.
Choosing to participate in online higher education allows
the student to choose when and where they will study. They
can study at any hour of the day. A learning environment is
provided twenty-four hours a day, which allows the student
to maintain a job and family time without requiring them to
participate in a structured classroom at another location.
The flexibility of studying whenever they choose is very
attractive to students who don't want to quit their
full-time job, but wish to pursue higher education.
Students are not excluded from participating in a
scholastic program in another country, even though they do
not geographically live there. This accessibility is very
attractive to some students. Students in many smaller
northern communities in Canada do not have access to a
traditional university education. Through asynchronous
learning, these students can benefit from established
universities in large cities, without having to
relocate.
Student online discussions can provide benefits for
quieter students. "The benefit of this online discussion
forum, of course, is that the filter of the online
environment allows the 'wallflower' student to become
involved in direct discussion without the traditional public
speaking barriers surfacing," (Dempf et al. 2000). Students
who are better written communicators will be able to share
their ideas with the group and feel heard, as compared to
the classroom setting where they may be intimidated to share
their ideas. This context should lessen the anxiety that
some students feel about speaking up in the classroom
setting.
For universities, offering online higher education is
attractive because of the financial savings that are created
from not having to build residences or class space. Without
having to offer extra curricular opportunities, staff
requirements are pared down. This savings is very attractive
but may not be in the best interests of the student,
however.
Difficulties in Online Higher Education
Learning
Cyber campuses can offer many struggles to individuals.
Students will experience frustration at times that will be
different from the challenges they face today.
"An aspect of learning that Internet-based
courses may impact substantially is student involvement
and participation. Although student involvement and
participation are important in all media of education
delivery, they have been noted to be particularly crucial
and challenging in studies of various distance education
formats, " (Arbaugh, 2000).
Online chat discussions may make communication more
difficult, because of the one-dimensional method of typing
on your computer. Students may be lost and unsure of the
discussion flow and not want to seem ignorant, and ask a,
"Where are we?" question, that they could easily move over
to their classmate and ask in a regular classroom. Another
difficulty I have personally experienced is the repetition
of comments in an online chat room. I have been discouraged
from posting my comments because as I've typed them in,
someone else has mentioned them before I press Return. I
will delete my comments, rather than repeat them to the
group. These frustrations are not easily measured or
apparent to the instructor of the class.
Technological difficulties may cause students to get
behind in their work. For instance, during an online chat
session in one of my classes, a participant was travelling.
He had a difficult time joining us from his remote location,
and never was able to be part of that chat session. This was
unfortunate, and very frustrating for him. Other students'
computers crashed or froze in the middle of our online
discussion. This experience was a very disappointing for the
students.
The cost of doing business from other countries may make
distance learning unrealistic for some. In North America,
internet service prices are competitive and accessible.
Overseas, some countries are not up to speed. Conducting
online research, and having chat discussions may push
individual costs far above realistic expectations.
Students may also have difficulty keeping up with the
cost of the required software or other home computer
requirements. "A leading computer expert estimates that
today's state-of-the-art desktop computer will be obsolete
within two years; for laptops, obsolescence comes within
nine months," (Kruger, Upcraft and Terenzini). This could
cause a rather expensive upgrade in the middle of one's
education. A typical university degree takes four years to
complete. This cost must be added to the cost of the
students education and be included in the up front
costs.
Privacy has become a huge issue on the web. How will
student identities be proven through online education? To
verify participation, students may need to receive tests in
a supervised forum in their hometown, which would decrease
the benefit of asynchronous learning. Universities must
protect the identity of their students, through passwords,
the intranet and firewalls. This will allow only users with
privileges to access the classroom information.
Students in online higher education courses have a lower
retention rate. In its February 11, 2000, issue, The
Chronicle of Higher Education reported that surveys of
college administrators indicated that "course-completion
rates are often 10 to 20 percentage points higher in
traditional courses than in distance offerings," with
dropout rates in some instances over 50 percent (Carr,
2000). This finding shows that the difficulties may be
larger than university administrators are aware of, and that
there is a role that Student Affairs should play in
supporting the needs of the student.
Role of Student Affairs
As distance learning becomes more popular, Student
Affairs professionals will need to change the way they
deliver their services. Student Affairs has historically
been a critical aspect to providing students with a
successful learning experience and has always "been
concerned with the development of the whole student &emdash;
both the cognitive and affective dimensions," (Kruger,
Upcraft & Terenzini). In the literature I have read,
online higher education has been curriculum-driven, based
upon the classes that are offered and selected, rather than
experience-driven and viewed as holistic education.
In asynchronous learning, there can be a lot of danger in
the end result, or education that is provided to the
student, as opposed to synchronous learning. If receiving a
university education is merely completing courses and
receiving a degree, why do thousands of universities invest
in Student Affairs? "Through student-centered education,
student affairs professionals help to build educated and
informed citizens. They structure the peer group
environment, enrich the campus culture, elevate the
conversation about issues of rights and responsibilities,
hold students accountable for their behavior, nurture the
emergence of leadership, mentor less confident students in
meeting their highest challenges, and construct
opportunities that allow students to experience elements of
life that empower them with self-knowledge. Absent these
experiences, students have something less than a college
education," (Blimling). Student Affairs must adapt and
change for the benefit of the students' education, and
online higher education learning experience.
One would never imagine offering university without
classes, however, it can be imagined offering university
without relationship building or student services. As
administration tries to increase their profit margin, this
tactic may be a temptation, but it is not best for the
student. Student Affairs can offer support services, as
students may need more support because they are isolated
from their classmates. Value-added education could only be
offered through providing students with appropriate support,
which could possibly be extensions of what is currently
offered on campus.
"Many Student Affairs practitioners, along with their
faculty colleagues, are concerned about what they fear may
be a loss of socialization function associated with college
attendance with distance learning students on a cyber
campus," (NASPA, Distance Learning Task Force, 2000). There
is concern that it is not possible to educate students to be
better citizens through a cyber campus. At university,
Student Affairs provides students with opportunities to
volunteer their time, and develop leadership and other
interpersonal skills that can only be taught through
experience. This skill development venue may be lost, if an
innovative way for Student Affairs to be involved in a cyber
campus is not developed. I believe that it is possible to
encourage this skill development, however it will take a
great deal of effort and intentional contact and I am not
sure that the synchronous learning experience can be
replicated online.
Relationship building will become easier as technology
advances, through the use of visual aides. When we are able
to see each other on the screen in our online connection, we
will be able to use other senses, read body languages, and
hear nuances of conversation that we are not able to
identify today. The experience will be like talking
face-to-face with another student. Maybe this approach will
be able to be adapted to the classroom situation, where
small parts of the class meet together with the professor
and each other.
Student Affairs staff can bring people together for
social functions. Ideally, there would be opportunities in
online higher education for students to meet each other
face-to-face. At these occasions Student Affairs staff could
facilitate social interaction and connection.
Another way that Student Affairs can facilitate the
building of community online will be through creating
Student Centres. An example of this process can be found at
www.studentcenter.org/.
This web site is making an effort to connect students world
wide. The site is defined as "a web community for students;
particularly college students, high school students and
teenagers." I think that students would respond to this type
of site, if it gave them an opportunity to interact with
students who were attending the same virtual university.
This type of web site could provide many services, such
as an intranet where the student newspaper was posted or
where one could find chat rooms to discuss things. This is
where you could post student home pages, (as done by
Gallaudet University), and e-mail
directories. By providing interactive icons at this site,
you will encourage students to return and participate.
Sponsorship could assist in generating revenue, and in
giving away student freebies. Advertisers will spend a great
deal of money to influence the buying habits of the
traditional student.
Student leadership opportunities can play a strong role
in encouraging interaction at a cyber campus. Students
respond best to peer assistance. They go to their friends
for help. Student Affairs can train and guide these student
leaders. I can see student leaders being the co-ordinators
of small groups of students, similar to a resident
assistant. They would assist in a student's transition to
online higher education, be available for questions, and
encourage social interaction online. They can help
facilitate the social part of a student's education outside
of the classroom.
Student Affairs could help students transition to a cyber
campus. They could help students get to know each other
through online games and orientation activities. At SchMOOze
university, (Hara & Kling, 2000), staff facilitate a
university tour for students to interact and become
accustomed to the learning environment. This task was done
using MOO technology. Learning assistance, study skills,
online technical support, could all be roles that Student
Affairs could fill. Or, students could ask a question
online, and have Student Affairs professionals answer their
question in a mini chat room. Students could pose the
question, get put on a wait list, with a dialogue box
reporting how many students are in front of them, and when
their question is answered, they can have a conversation
with a Student Affairs staff member.
By assessing the type of students who take online
courses, support needs would be determined. Student Affairs
practitioners can assist with student needs assessment. By
being involved at the grass roots of determining the
problem, they will be better able to determine the
solutions.
The online learner will require new services including
immediate technical support, chat room access, bulletin
boards savvy and web research techniques. As an online
learner, I have been frustrated with technological problems.
Today's student will demand an immediate response, rather
than the delayed response associated with e-mail. Student
leaders can encourage relationship development through the
use of chat rooms. Students will be taught and encouraged to
set up their own personalized home pages that will introduce
them to the students in their classes.
Traditional aged students may not have difficulty
adapting to the online virtual interactions, as they have
grown up in the electronic age. They learned to use the
computer at a very young age, they are familiar with online
chat rooms, and building relationships through the internet.
However, with these students, student retention will become
a larger issue. It will be more difficult to retain students
who may not have any personal investment or pride in their
cyber university. Students are retained by the quality of
education they receive and also by the value-added (Student
Affairs) components. Personal pride comes from connection to
the institution and to other people. This feeling will be
more difficult to create through a cyber campus. There will
be no institution loyalty. People will take courses from a
variety of institutions, and have a patchwork degree. If, as
Student Affairs professionals, we can understand our student
profile and assess their needs, we may be able to retain the
students longer.
Student Affairs will need to adjust to the loss of time
and space dedicated to its activities. The venue is no
longer our choice, it's now the student's choice. "The
institution controlled where those interactions took place
and when: application, admission, registration, orientation,
academic advising, instruction, faculty office hours, formal
out-of-class interventions by student affairs
professionals&endash;all took place at scheduled times. And
the schedule was controlled by representatives of the
institution," (Kruger, Upcraft and Terenzini).
In online learning, Student Affairs will need to partner
with community services located near the students, and
assist the students in finding the information they need,
(See Appendix C, bottom of the page,
Kentucky Resource Directory). Students will need to know
how to access counselling information, local recreation
services, housing, transportation in their local area, and
Student Affairs may be able to assist in this. As Student
Affairs professionals we will have to be strategic in
helping students access locally the information that Student
Affairs formerly provided at the university venue.
Equity of access becomes an issue that Student Affairs
can address. Economically disadvantaged students must be
provided for. Student technological support must be
accessible. Someone needs to be an advocate for the needs of
students and somehow we must ensure that everyone is able to
participate in online higher education.
Discipline will take on a new look. Student Affairs
professionals will deal with computer hackers, online
harassment and plagiarism and/or misrepresentation. How will
we ensure that students are not getting someone else to
complete assignments and claiming they are completing them?
Computer professionals will need the proper level of
expertise in order to catch the perpetrators and policies
will need to be developed and enforced. Dealing with online
harassment will be challenging. Verifying that a student is
actually completing his/her work will become increasingly
challenging without any formal testing or proof of
identity.
Conclusion
In analyzing the opportunities that technology will
provide to expand higher education, we must remember that
technology has limitations on what it can accomplish
(Oblinger, 1998), humans do not. We must not lose sight of
the need for human interaction in the socialization of our
graduates. The university education a student receives
through synchronous learning is comprised of a variety of
shared experiences. In online education there is only one
shared experience, typing on a computer. The value of
multiple shared experiences should not be seen as
inconsequential.
I believe that virtual universities have a role for
non-traditional or graduate students, but that there is a
real danger in educating traditional undergraduate students
through this means. Graduate students have generally spent
time in the work force, and have matured and grown, unlike
traditional students who are just learning what it means to
become an adult. I think that there is value in spending
time away from home in a residence, adjusting to having a
roommate and being with students who have similar interests
and dreams. This experience cannot be replicated.
The best means of education will be provided through a
combination of technology and socialization through on-site
classroom facilitation. The NASPA Distance Learning Task
Force has identified the fact that there currently are
elements of the learning process that cannot be replicated
through technology or distance delivery. Because of this,
the curriculum and the quality of personal interaction and
human connectedness must not be forgotten as we move into
the world of online education.
As home schooling becomes more popular, and virtual
higher education spreads into the secondary school
classroom, we must ask ourselves are we compromising
education for convenience and increased profit?
TWU should protect the socialization and Student Affairs
experience that the current student benefits from, so that
they can develop the whole student, not only the student's
intellect. University mission fulfilment cannot be
accomplished through a university experience that is only
online. Godly Christian leaders, must be developed
holistically, and through online education, the university
would not be able to address the student socially,
physically, emotionally or spiritually. If we want to best
prepare our students for the market place we must strengthen
their characters through team work, interpersonal skills and
leadership skill development. The end product of the
educated Trinity Western University student should not be
compromised. We are currently producing quality graduates
who have experienced a Trinity Western University education,
and the quality of education these students have received is
proven, unlike the quality of a graduate who has been
educated solely through an online education program.
As cyber campuses continue to develop, Student Affairs
professionals must be involved in the grass roots creation
of any virtual university. Unfortunately, many cyber
campuses already exist without a Student Affairs component.
Student Affairs should continue to research about how to
provide its services online. Virtual universities will
continue to increase, so therefore, Student Affairs must
find innovative ways to connect people online. I believe
that virtual universities will continue to expand and
improve, but until technology allows the full duplication of
the synchronous university experience, traditional
universities will produce the more marketable product of a
fully educated student.
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