We can all agree that the Internet has made life easier. Forget about going to the library for your paper on Nietzche, or making the trek to UTC for this winter’s must-haves. Hell, you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own room for some one-on-one time with Jenna Jameson.
But while the Internet is perfect for looking up how to deep fry a turkey, there is a difference between a recipe and a chem lab, no matter how hard our Regents try to bridge that gap. On Nov. 2, the UC Office of the President announced that it is taking the first steps toward a UC online degree program that will hopefully offer a “UC-quality” education. And though some online classes are already offered through the UC Extension program, the UC system will have to upgrade its thinking caps if it wants to create a cyberspace version of our esteemed university that’s up to standard.
While online universities like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University have successfully created online degree programs for everything from an associates degree to a PhD, there’s no question that a UCSD degree has more weight than a University of Phoenix B.A.
In all fairness, some departments like political science and literature could transition to an online format without a drastic loss of quality. Given the opportunity, we’re already more likely to skip out on our poli sci lecture in favor listening to the professor’s podcasted analysis of Malcom X from the living room couch.
But, things like live discussions can’t be duplicated online. Sure, some students could use discussion boards like the ones on WebCT or e-mail their professors with questions, but no amount of e-mailing or posting can replace personal face time with a professor or TA.
A major draw of the UC system is that it offers students the chance to work with award-winning faculty — your UC degree means that you have been face to face with a literature professor who won a Pulitzer Prize, or the man who pioneered bioluminescent nanotechnology. Sacrificing that for online convenience compromises the quality of education.
Aside from losing valuable educational points from discussions, there is no way to give online bio and chem students the educational equipment of a real lab. It’s the real life experiences — like mixing potassium with dihydrogen monoxide and finding out why safety goggles are a good idea — that can’t be duplicated online.
There’s programs that simulate reactions, but watching a screen mix two different colors together at the click of a button is not the same experience as physically mixing them yourself.
Another department difficult to replicate online is foreign language. The best way to become fluent in a foreign language is by constantly having live conversations. But this could pose a problem when there’s no human-to-human interaction.
One of the primary draws to online courses is that you can take them from nearly anywhere that has an Internet connection. But aside from missing out on real life conversations, there’s no guarantee that every student that opts for an online education will have the technology to support it.
Some UCSD classes require specific programs that don’t work with both Macs and PCs. Consequently, students have to come to a campus and do their work in a computer lab — which won’t be so easy if they’re taking the class for purposes of convenience. Especially, if someone is taking the class as a parent with a full time job — making it to campus between work and the kid’s dance practice won’t be an easy feat.
In addition, most online classes have the capacity to enroll thousands of students at a time — which, when taking room capacity and fire regulations into consideration, will be an unlikely possibility if the program plans to have the students attend an in-class final.
Online education is a solution for those that can’t physically make it to school, or can’t afford the extraneous student fees of room and board. But there’s no comparison between sitting in a lecture hall and clicking through online slides.
It seems that the proposed online degree program is little more than a quick fix to the UC’s budget crisis. By filtering more students through an online degree program, the campuses will be able to generate more money, without putting in the time. But unless the UCOP takes steps to make sure online students don’t slip through the cracks, the UC degree is going to be worth as much as one from DeVry.
