As someone entering the job market in academia, I find this discussion rather
interesting. Having been a student who has seen professors "experiment" with
web-based learning I am witness to this technology as a two-edged sword. Lazy
professors have used it as a way to divorce themselves from the duties that
previously required them to leave their homes to make the long trek onto
campus (one prof. insisted on writing up his lectures on the web and creating
chat rooms during his office hours -- students even turned assignments in via
file attachments). This is obviously the wrong way to use this incredible
resource and restrictions should be in place to prevent this type of misuse.
The right way for a university (not the virtual universities) to use this
would seem to be as a supplement to the traditional "personal touch" -- if
this method is effective. I know many profs whose personalities couldn't come
close to outshining the cold metallic feel of a computer -- these are the real
dinosaurs whose outdated methods SHOULD be updated by requiring a more
practical approach that better prepares the student for the workplace. If web-
based education can be used to more effectively teach students what they need
to succeed then I believe that the selfishness that comes from protecting our
"job security" is unacceptable. Students first -- that is the main point of
the educational system, right?
Just some thoughts...
Sandi