Nicole,
So much of the core content is covered using online tools and resources and they still have a practicum. One point I was trying to reach was what you suggest. We can teach almost anything (content wise) in an online environment; however, we are going to have to seriously reconsider the role of internships, practicums, etc. to reinforce that content knowledge in real and applied ways.
Herbert Brown III
Katherine,
These types of clinical and skills needs will contribute to the continued growth of online hybrid learning where most of the "content" of the course is completed online and the in class experiences will focus on clinicals, skills development and hands on activities that are difficult or impossible to complete without direct interaction in these types of environments.
Herbert Brown III
Teaching courses online requires dedication, knowledge of the subject matter, time commitment, and many more items.
Do I believe that any course could be taught online? The answer is: Yes, as long as the instructor is knowledgeable of the subject and is willing to be dedicated to the students.
My daughter actually took a speech class online. I was very skeptical about this class. However, this class taught her much more than just speech. It taught her preparation. In one of her assignments, she had to video herself giving a descriptive speech with a minimum audience of 20. She had to research on how to use the video equipment and also had to give willing participants. So it taught her interaction skills that is very important in all speeches!
So yes, all courses can be taught online.
No, not every course can be taught effectively online. Online is not a one size fits all solution. There are a couple of key factors that online courses cannot address: interaction with materials or equipment that is not available to people in their homes where they are taking their online courses (I can't take a pottery class online since I don't have a wheel or a kiln in my house for example); presentation and evaluation of materials in which detailed craftsmanship needs to be assessed (teaching fashion design online is not a good option since it is impossible to see the quality of the stitching for the sewing exercises for example); interaction between people needs to be direct and immediate (teaching any of the performing arts where a person is part of a group that sings, dances or acts is not possible for example). With all of that being said, I do believe that online education is a great option for some things and a great supplemental option for others.
No! One simply cannot assume all courses can be taught online, however, that said, using the instructional media selection process, the single most instructional component to consider when selecting the *most* appropriate medium to deliver the content are the learning objectives. The learning objectives form the foundation for media selection and development of the instructional content(REF: Instructional Media Selection Guide for Distance Learning (2nd Ed), available at: http://www.usdla.org/assets/pdf_files/AIMSGDL%202nd%20Ed._styled_010311.pdf
Jolly,
I think you have it just right. The instructional content and objectives come first. Then we look at all of the tools at our disposal and decide the best mechanism for connecting our instructional content with our students....or best mechanisms as it may take several different strategies to reach the diverse learning styles of our students.
Herbert Brown III
The obvious answer would be any course requiring hands on experiences. For instance a course on repairing car engines would be very difficult to teach online as it requires the student to be hands on.
However, with the advancements in technology these days many activities that generally require you to use your hands can be created in a type of "virtual reality."
Even with these advancements I believe that real hands on learning is necessary to reach the student's full learning and retention potential.
Joshua,
I would agree that hands on careers should still be hands on. I do not want a surgeon working on me that only did "virtual" surgeries or a mechanic that only did repairs on virtual cars. A good solution for those might be, do all you can online and have hands on sessions or on the job training, shadowing, etc. for the hands on part so it is more of a blended approach.
Herbert Brown III
