Time limits?

[Reid Cornwell]

My youngest son is a nuclear reactor technician on a submarine. He is soon to deploy on a cruise that will span 2 different semesters. He wishes to take calculus courses but cannot find an online program that will allow him the freedom of schedule that he will need being underwater for long periods of time.
This provokes the folowing questions:

1. If the course content is all online, why put a semester/quarter time limit on the completion?
2. What are the pedagogic reasons for this?

In my opinion these questions have import far beyond my son's personal problem.

Thanks

[Steve Eskow]

A crucial question, Reid, and I hope Jim decides to engage it.

One answer is that whether courses are "blended" or not, the rhythms and routine of the walled education system prevail. The campus is what I call the "organizing technology" its techniques and traditions shape the uses of the new technologies: until,that is, the new technologies can earn their autonomy.

So: if on-campus you get one lecture a week for 15 weeks followed by two hours of class "discussion" with a grad student or an adjunct, you get one lecture a week online, although all 15 lectures are already recorded and students could be allowed to watch them according to their ability and motivation.

For an interesting attempt to break away from campus --based routines, see:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/feature/college_for_...

Steve

[Reid Cornwell]

Steve, thanks for your reply. I suspect everyone thinks we always spat and are afraid to comment. Your reply proves that is an error. Like you I wish Jim would weigh-in. He is our expert on paradigms and surely could bring some wisdom to the question.

[James Morrison]

Wisdom is not necessary. As Steve points out, the semester/trimester/quarter system is based on tradition.

Some schools are revolutionizing the college calendar. For example, Rio Salado College in Phoenix starts each of its online courses every two weeks. That means that any student who wishes to take a course never has to wait more than two weeks to start. In addition, although each course is advertised as a 14-week class, students are allowed to increase or decrease their pace.

The University of Phoenix uses a cohort model, in which a course begins as soon as between 8 and 13 students are ready to start.

The technology involved in online programs and the exponential growth of these programs will, I think, help break the mold of the traditional academic schedule.

[Reid Cornwell]

Jim,

Is there any sound reason why a person shouldn't be allowed to take up to a year or more to complete a course, particularly if all the curriculum and content is given online.

Reid

[James Morrison]

Whether a person is allowed to take a year or more to complete a course is up to the institution offering the course. Please know that some institutions do allow students to extend course completion times, but may require a fee to do so.

I don't think that there is a pedagogical reason to have firm completion dates; and I can think of good reasons to allow considerable flexibility in these dates.

I suspect that market forces will resolve the issue.

Jim

[Andrew Dean Hyder]

Hi Reid,

It's nice to connect with you again. In response to your Time Limit discussion, I feel that issues like this provide insight into the increasing complexities of our world. As the market demands more flexibility in education, institutions will respond to gain the market share of distance learners that require such flexibility. After all education in reality has no time limits because we always keep learning regardless of age or situation. Educational institutions must be made aware of the numbers of students who require greater time flexibility (for whatever reason) and build the infrastructre to accommodate them.

My two cents, for what its worth...

Andrew Hyder
Subjex Corporation CEO

[jame]

I think online learning is a good thing and i am sure in time to come this will be very popular with many Interactive Agency coming up these days but if you will take my suggestion than i would prefer the full time course and attending the lecture in class room because the envoirnment of the class room is very different from your room when you interact with 10-15 different student you get to know where you stands in between them at the same time you get different ideas from them and leran how to Address others in the competitive world.
regards
Jame Oklahoma City