By Taylor Johnston, Contributor
We are currently within one of the greatest eras for technology. Many jobs are becoming automated, there are online-only industries and our cell phones are so multiuse that they can act as a small computer. The appeal of online education and the concept of going “paperless” has been rising based on its flexibility and cheaper costs. Some universities are even introducing online degrees. However, is it all as amazing as it seems?
There are two types of online education: self-paced and structured. Self-paced gives all the course content to the student at once, but it must be completed within a certain number of months. Therefore, the student can work as quickly or leisurely as they like. There are ministry high school programs such as those taken through the Independent Learning Centre that have adopted this self-paced format and have been proven to be very efficient, which has been attributed to allowing students can learn at their own pace.
While structured education is also a common method of online teaching, it can also present more flaws. A structured online course attempts to mimic in-class courses by giving students access to content material on a week by week basis. While some students may like structured learning to help them stay on track of class, it can also be less beneficial for many students, as it doesn’t give the student the freedom of learning at their own pace. As a result, structured learning can add stress for students who like to learn at a different pace than the one that the course is providing.
Many Ontario universities offer select elective courses in the online-structured format, which hold many attractive qualities in terms of flexibility and the opportunity for another in-class course to be added to a student's schedule. However, do the pros of online education outweigh the cons?
One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors. This may have you thinking, “In non-online classes I am just one student in a lecture hall with hundreds of others, and there is not that much opportunity for a one-on-one relationship anyways. Wouldn’t online courses be the same?” However, even the experience of going to lectures holds an added level of value as you get to hear the “in the moment” thoughts and opinions of your professor that are otherwise non-existent in most online courses and degrees.
One apparent difference between online education and in-person education is the amount of interaction you have with your instructors.
Furthermore, in-person education usually gives more opportunities for office hours where students’ questions can be asked and answered. The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations. Although some people may find office hours to be a waste of time, other students find them very beneficial to their education and learning and unfortunately, you cannot get that from online education.
The main method of communication for students that want to talk to professors and teaching assistants throughout an online course is strictly email, where communication can often be misunderstood and unclear compared to in-person conversations.
Online education provides the opportunity to access education regardless of how far away you live from university. However, the benefits of in-person schooling still outweighs the online system due to the added benefits of being able to physically interact with your professors. With in-person courses, you are able to talk to classmates and meet others, which can be a huge benefit to your learning. Still, it is important to recognize that as students, we can still reap the benefits of online education as it provides a bridge for those who are unable to physically attend lectures.
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JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Amanda Watkins
Silhouette Staff
Nowadays, it is very rare to find someone reading a book in their free time. With the chaos of school, work and a social life, most people choose quick Facebook sessions on their computers or playing Bubble Blaster on their phones over sitting down with a literary classic.
Having little free time is a major factor that affects how much reading people do beyond school work, but convenience and accessibility also matter.
In last week’s edition of the Silhouette, an article [“Textbooks, meet technology” – March 1] discussed the option of using an e-reader as an alternative to a paperback book. Although the e-reading technology does allow for portability, it is a pricey alternative and still adds weight to a growing surplus of laptops, smart phones and iPods that are already being toted around.
Since most of us already carry an abundance of gadgets that support the reading of a text document, why go through the hassle of buying a new device? Isn’t there a way to bring accessible reading to pre-existing technologies?
Enter author AJ Hanks, whose solution to this dilemma lies in the creation of an easily accessible webpage that allows the reader to enjoy his novel on the go. For his publication, Someplace Unknown, Hanks has developed a webpage, Someplaceunknown.com, where readers can preview the book, purchase it for $9 (a major discount in comparison to prices at your average bookstore) and receive a custom URL that will allow them to access the novel at any time and from any place.
Hanks, who previously worked in publishing with a literary agency in NYC and is a self-professed “iPhone addict” explains that “digital publishing avoids leaving readers out.
The Internet provides ridiculously good access.” He further explains that the primary difficulty with reading in today’s society has to do with finding a way to create a connection between today’s devices and classic reading habits through a happy technological medium.
“The problem is that technology is evolving at a breakneck speed, but the way writers’ thoughts are conveyed hasn’t really changed.” By developing an interactive webpage, Hanks is able to develop his novel with all desired aspects while maintaining a level of ease and accessibility for the reader through use of the Internet.
Someplace Unknown is told from the alternating perspectives of the protagonist, Mike, and his father. After Mike spends his school days tormenting a classmate, it comes as a guilt-ridden shock when this classmate is later found dead.
As he travels across America with his parents, Mike is forced to come to grips with the death without bringing up the fact that he believes he is responsible for his classmate’s suicide. All the while, his father is observing his son’s behaviour and is himself pushed to come to terms with a similar event from his past: the suicide of his brother.
“It’s an old story that reveals how bullying has always been around, but its causes are more complicated than most are willing to address, and its effects spread to much more than the unfortunate victims,” explains the author.
With a story that reveals so much about the characters, it’s both helpful and interesting to have more than just text to tell it. With AJ Hanks’ implementation of a literary website, as the reader moves along through the story, custom coding and interactive elements such as pop-ups and links allow the reader see the story represented visually and develop a more complex understanding of the characters’ emotions. “This is what all good fiction should do. Entertain you. And let you identify with someone else. And by doing so, you might feel less different and less alone. And you might have some compassion for other folks too,” says Hanks.
Although nothing can replace the rewarding experience of flipping the pages of a book, there’s something to be said for convenience.
Aside from the ease factor, this medium also appeals to a new demographic and allows for more diverse and widespread sharing. While previous generations favoured classic print literature, today’s generation appreciates a book that goes along with their gadgets.
Most students – if not all – have 24/7 access to technology. Using these resources for reading allows a more tech-savvy generation to have easy access to literature at all hours of the day.
Additionally, having books online allows for instant access to the content. Internet-published literature does not require rifling through stacks of books at the library or book store, or hunting down the correct title on an expensive e-reader.
It removes the middle man of e-books and paperback novels.
“Also, when reviews are published digitally, interested folks can read the book immediately. One click. And they can read from anywhere – Antarctica, Beijing, Sydney, wherever. No need for a trip to a store or for device compatibility,” says Hanks.
So the next time you turn on your computer or take a look at your phone, think about all that your device can offer. With new ideas in the sharing of literature, reading can be incorporated into your schedule with the click of a mouse or the touch of a screen.
“Hopefully it’s a push in the right direction. Or at least something different,” explains Hanks. With a new found accessibility and a creative aspect of expression, it seems that this push into “someplace unknown” might just be a push in the right direction.
