Last week.we talked about Massive Open Online Courses.also called MOOCs.Tens of thousands,or even more,people Can take these classes all at once.You can be anywhere in the worht to take a MOOC.All you need is a computer and a network connection. MOOCs add to a tradition of what is known as distance learning.For years,many colleges have offered classes that are taught partly or mostly online.MOOCs are available in subjects like comlmter science,engineering or mechanics.Can MOOCs in subjects like arts or the humanities be as effective? Scott Anderson teaches philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Canada.He sees both good and bad sides to MOOCs.Scott Anderson says,"There are pails that will be tine,insofar as mostly when students listen to a lecture. there is no special reason why they need to be physically present to hear and get it."Mr.Anderson says increased numbers of students in MOOCs can mean less communication between them and teachers.He says two ways to deal with this are.by adding more teachers and setting up online discussion groups. Lisa Jadwin teaches English and American literature and writing at St.John Fisher College in New York.She says online education has some weaknesses for her subjects. She says,"What's lost in online education is face-to-face interaction.And that old-fashioned approuch is not going to be replaced very quickly by computer--aided instrnction."Professor Jadwin says some students could learn very well from talks and reading assignments,blogs and discussion groups.But she believes that hybrid courses work best.She describes hybrids as mixing face-to-face course elements with computer-aided teaching and writing proiects. Bill Pogue teaches communications at the University of Houston-Downtown.He sees good value in online education.He noted a strong sense of communitv in an online ciyrse he once took.He said the students worked together on a project while living on four continents. Which of the following is true of hybrid courses?
They belong to old-fashioned approach. They emphasize face-to-face interaction. They will be effective in the education. They ignore the importance of the eomputers.