How Do You Feel About Online Classes?

Hello All,

As we have all chosen to be in the online version of our IT class, we must be fairly comfortable with online courses. It makes perfect sense to have an online I.T. course, but what about an online Mathematics course? Is math really something that can be taught effectively via the Internet? I personally have taken a math course over the internet and thought it both fulfilled, as well as fell short of expectations I'd had. In a perfect world, online courses make a lot of sense and seem helpful in a number of ways. The working schedule that the student makes up him or herself, immediate test results from tests and quizzes online, less money spent on buying textbooks, etc. But, like many other things it has its drawbacks as well. Students can hire other students to take their quizzes and do their homework for them online. Online due dates are more difficult to keep up with when not constantly reminded by professors or fellow classmates. The Internet can run slow close to due dates making assignments late or impossible to turn in at any particular time. Test or quiz answers get marked wrong by the computer because you added a space where the computer said there was no need for one. These are just a few examples of both the advantages and disadvantages of online courses which many students can relate to. Although online courses are an effective means for some subjects, I do not believe we should be moving all courses in this direction. Do you prefer online courses to in class sessions? Is there a particular subject that you think works better for online courses?

Is Technology Making "Disconnecting" History?

Hello All,

We all have grown to love, or maybe always have loved, technology in today's world. Whether we like to admit it or not, our dependency on technologies such as the internet, power, and cell phones (to name a few) leave us wondering how we ever survived without them. Although I appreciate these technologies greatly, I find that I have a love/hate relationship with them. I LOVE the fact that information is at my fingertips at lightening fast speeds. I also appreciate how easy it is to get in touch with someone whether it be communicating via phone call, text message, Facebook, or email; it seems that you can always get a hold of someone in a timely manner. This is because with all the advances in communication through technology, we never officially "sign off" from the day. We feel obligated to answer our phone no matter where we are, even though back in the day when there were only land lines we somehow managed to survive without being able to reach someone for a few hours. Why do we feel so guilty now if we don't return a missed phone call immediately or simply hit the reject button instead of answering? I think that with the advancements in technology we have lost our ability to slow down and disconnect from the stresses of the day and are required to stay available constantly. Do you think it is ok to just turn off your phone for a certain time every day and just disconnect from everything? Do you think the population would benefit from carrying out such an act on a daily basis?