As a third-year upperclassman, I have taken numerous online courses, ranging from Man’s Food and Introduction to Managerial Accounting to Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Marketing.
Some have been easy, like Man’s Food, and attending live class would have felt counterproductive. I can’t imagine what attending lectures would be like. Others have been difficult, such as Introduction to Financial Accounting, Business Finance and Legal Environment of Business, which I am currently taking.
As much as I appreciate the convenience of online classes, I have not yet gotten the hang of them.
Most critical tracking and core classes are virtual for business majors. One-third of the degree can be completed through online courses (by looking at degree requirements and number of classes which are taught online).
The convenience of attending class whenever and wherever seems great — like if it’s 2 a.m. in my apartment, and I’m curled up in my comforter with hot chocolate on one side and a pile of laundry on the other.
What’s not so great is I don’t watch lectures on time, if at all, depending on the class. I even forget I’m enrolled in that class sometimes. A week before an exam, the stress and the number of times I go to Starbucks increases. Overwhelmed with the 30 hours of lectures I have yet to watch and the more than 200 pages I have to read, I ask myself: What was I doing for the past two months? How did I let myself do this again?
It always happens. There is a lack of professor-to-student interaction. I have not met many of my professors. They seem like celebrities, and if I randomly come across them at the Emerson Courtyard, I am starstruck. I’ve only seen them through my 15-inch Sony VAIO.
Maybe I can break the ice with, “Hello, Professor Rush, my name is Raksheen. I am among the hundreds of students in your class. Do you recognize me?”
“No.”
“How about my UFID number?”
“Maybe.”
Another huge drawback is the lack of peer-to-peer interaction. To find a study buddy or someone to discuss today’s lecture on crimes and torts, you must go out of your way to find that intellectual you wish to connect with. And trust me, this can be hard.
Online classes are more difficult than traditional ones. They take a lot more time and dedication. They generally consist of watching hours of lectures online, taking timed quizzes and, ultimately, showing up for an exam that will end late on a Tuesday night.
At the end of the semester, it can feel very dissatisfying.
If there’s a concept that confuses me, I can’t raise my hand and ask. I can email the professor and get a response in a timely 24 to 48 hours, but do I really want to go through the effort of writing a lengthy professional email to a stranger? Or do I want to take the time to get dressed, go to campus and wait to see him or her during his or her office hours?
I’ll skip, hoping it’s not on the exam.
Most important, how much have I gained if I cannot implement what I have learned? Management requires the memorization of several definitions and concepts for exams.
If I memorize 60 pages in four months and get an A, does that make me smart and destined to be a stellar manager? If I slack and get a C, should I then give up on that career path?
There should be a component to the class that forces students to physically meet to discuss and implement what is being taught in lectures, whether that’s through evaluating management techniques in a group, completing a group project or even further analyzing a case study.
Even though there’s the option to attend the live taping for many classes, either a conflict or laziness prevents me. Missing out on someone speaking for two hours doesn’t bother me. I can always watch the same lecture at double the speed a month from now when I need to for the final exam.
I want to interact with live humans, not with my screen.
Raksheen Ayaz is an advertising and business junior at UF. Her column usually runs on Thursdays. You can contact her via opinions@alligator.org.
