Wednesday, February 17, 2010

On-Line (Distance) Education

The future is here...

When I was teaching at TMCC, I had quite a few students who could not make it to every class due to job restrictions.  In some cases.. they could only make one class out of three (due to shift rotations).  These students were totally left out of the education process until the "Distance Learning" folks helped me to put my classes on line (we were not on the "cutting edge"... we were on the "bleeding edge" at the time).  While it worked (quite well actually...) the technology was not quite adequate for the task.  But now.......  WOW......  this is the future of education.  I'm not saying we should tear down all the buildings just yet....  but the technology available now is going to make this a whole new ball game! 

The biggest advancement I see is being able to "share" desktops... (for a demonstration see: http://www.dimdim.com/ ) I can literally take control of a students computer and point them in the right direction when they get lost (and for hands-on type classes... this is a must).  Plus.. the training simulation software has gotten so much better.  What used to take thousands of dollars in equipment now can be simulated by software on the students computer (I initiated this approach in the PLC class.. working with Bill Simpson of 'LogixPro" back in the day).  I believe it you talked with any of my students (who took the PLC class's  on-line) you would find that they loved the idea.  The only problem I had then, was that if they got stuck... I had to try and talk them through it on the phone, or they could e-mail me their program and I could troubleshoot it for them.  Now, I can pull up their screen in real time, on their computer, and see exactly where they are having the problem.  What a great asset! On-line progress quiz's, training videos and slide-shows on-demand (as many times as needed).... A program custom tailored to each student.....

This can be done, and is being done across the country. This new technology will make hands-on training affordable and available to all (especially the "non-traditional" students).   Up front Equipment costs would be minimal, no new buildings or labs need to be built. Now, all we have to do is convince them.  

Note:  I was told recently that TMCC has 10,000 on-line students.... (so much for the nay-sayers that said "It'll never work)...  I had seven classes on-line when I left, and, to my knowledge, none of my classes have been offered on-line since.  I also had an "intro electrical"  class approved for high-school students and later developed into a class for "Nevada Works"... what ever happened to these classes?


Next Up...  Nevada "Approved Training Providers"....

posted by cl @ 2:28 PM

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