> (Please forgive the cross-posting)
>
> I just received this letter, and thought it relevent and important
> enough to pass on to all of you. (Notice: the author cc'd Pres
> LaTourette ;-)
>
> Feedback?
>
> -Eric Hoffman
>
Eric,
I thought we shared a working assumption that there is demand out there
for e-courses. The questions that tfas are working revolve around how to
structure such courses in ways that mesh with our broader academic
mission. And, my questions, mostly posted on tompaine, are how to
compensate faculty for the incredible time that a respectable e-course
requires.
What you are saying and saying again -- is that people find such courses
convenient. There is no disagreement here. What we are working on are
methods to (a) reconcile these courses with current offerings (b) not
allow the e-courses to deteriorate into a Phoenix U model and (c) allow
them to be taught by faculty who at the same time will have sufficient
hours to do their research, teach f 2 f courses, and get some sleep once
in a while.
You're saying something is good and is needed so let's do it now. I'm
saying, just show me how to bring it about: how do we find the time to
prepare such courses? How to we prevent (or do we prevent) what happened
with the engineer? who seemed to spend 40 hours a week on a ten person
class? Can we get into place in this university rules that full time
faculty will teach such courses, or do we want the university to buy
canned courses and then have low paid people monitor the e-discussions?
It's these practical questions we must work out, not whether some older
student would find it easier to click and point from home then to traipse
out to the corn field we all share.
Herb
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"A community will evolve only when the people control their means of
communication." Fanon
********
Herbert J. Rubin 815-753-6424
Sociology hrubin@sun.soci.niu.edu
Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois 60115
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