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Question: Should Dartmouth use online/blended education? If so, how?

• Richard Wright

  Dec 07, 2011 at 11:13 am

  We can do more with on-line teaching.  For example, by connecting with other institutions. I know we have a few models of jointly offered courses that link Dartmouth with other places, but we can be much more imaginative along these lines.
  That said, face-to-face (F2F) interactions must remain at the heart of what we do. The experience of one-on-one work with students and the classroom dynamics (between faculty and students and among students) cannot be replicated “on-line”. F2F facilitates unique forms of learning, knowledge transfer. On line might be ok for the transmission of codifiable data, but it’s useless when it comes to tacit knowledge transfer and sharing.

• Anonymous

  Dec 07, 2011 at 2:27 pm

  Our niche is small classes with top-research-university-quality faculty, and the students we attract are the ones who value classes that are small enough to teach in a Socratic style.

  Online learning may be the most cost-effective way to get large numbers of students up to some basic knowledge base (then again, given the track record of graduates from places like U. Phoenix, I think the jury is still out on that).  But Dartmouth is doing something very different.  It’s a more expensive model, but people are willing to pay for quality in education.

• Bill Fischel

  Dec 07, 2011 at 3:14 pm

  I agree with the two responses above (Wright and Anon) about Dartmouth’s comparative advantage. We need to strengthen face-to-face contact. This does not mean computer technology cannot be an important part of it both in the classroom and out. The trick is to facilitate a variety of approaches that departments and instructors tailor for themselves. A one-size-fits-all technology would be counterproductive.

• Anonymous

  Dec 07, 2011 at 3:41 pm

  When I was a student, I wanted the lectures online (so I could watch them and learn at the times I learned best), and have class time be for questions, discussion, presentation, and more hands on/active learning.

• Anonymous

  Dec 07, 2011 at 4:09 pm

  Online resources can enhance the classroom experience, provide background information, study info.  We can also use a variety of models of distance learning.  Some to educate students, some courses to educate or be a resource for the general public.

• Anonymous

  Dec 07, 2011 at 4:40 pm

  I see online education at Dartmouth as potentially serving two separate audiences. Given Dartmouth’s positioning providing an intimate, interactive classroom experience, transferring classes online does not seem consistent with this. However, it can potentially be an effective way to communicate interesting research ideas or points-of-view on timely real world events to the broader population and increase Dartmouth’s profile as a research-oriented institution. Short video clips from faculty members on such topics (in particular those that tend to be interesting / dynamic speakers) might make for an interesting YouTube channel that increases positive associations with the Dartmouth brand.

  In terms of incorporation into the classroom, at Tuck we are experimenting with providing more technical or basic information through short videos or interactive quizzes in order to focus more time in the classroom on discussion and application. The quizzes (in some of the more quantitative courses) allow students to self-diagnosis where they need some additional preparation before class. The students seem to like this and improves the discussion quality during class time.

• Anonymous

  Dec 07, 2011 at 6:29 pm

  While there is obviously a great number of courses that can’t be taught online (studio arts and science labs to name two), it’s interesting that online education or variants of it have been around for over 50 years, without a consensus on either their efficacy or mode of delivery.  Between 1958 and 1963, NBC broadcast “Continental Classroom,” half-hour daily lectures early in the morning covering, over the years, physics, chemistry, algebra, statistics, and US government.  Upwards of a million people got up each morning to watch, but only a few thousand actually signed up for the college credit that was available for the serious watchers.  It ended when the money ran out.  I expect that YouTube U has lots of interested dilettantes, and U. Phoenix has lots of paying customers, but I think for us, an online presence should be small, aimed at doing something unique and unavailable in another way, and carefully planed and evaluated.

• Anonymous

  Dec 08, 2011 at 11:02 am

  I think we should ask potential and current students how online/distance learning would enhance their Dartmouth experience. It would not surprise me if many of the gifted Dartmouth students we enroll have already taken one or many online courses. My own son is in ninth grade and has taken five Johns Hopkins CTY courses for school credit since he was in grade six. This is not a novelty to our students, nor is it a substandard learning experience. I believe that Dartmouth needs to think about augmentation rather than replacement.

• Jason Goodman '12

  Dec 08, 2011 at 11:49 pm

  This is a challenging question. The answer depends on our priorities as an institution. Online/distance education extends our reach, but potentially takes resources away from the students on campus. It depends on which segment of the future education landscape we want to go after.

  I think we should consider online options for subjects that look like they’re heading that way. Tuck is already there, but how about subjects like mathematics and computer science?

• Anonymous

  Dec 09, 2011 at 1:36 am

  I think we need to approach online teaching with care.  It is often held out as a time saver:  those at other institutions I know who have been involved with online teaching, especially in introductory undergraduate courses, have found it anything but.  The usefulness of this approach also seems to be learner-dependent—it may work great for the new masters program in health care delivery science, but those enrolled in this program are not 18-20 year old first time students or even typical graduate students. As noted in a post above, it is clear that online instruction will suit different disciplines to a greater or lesser extent. 

  I think it is also important to consider the implications of some of the aspects of online teaching (e.g., videotaping lectures) not only from the perspective of the students, but also from the perspective of the teachers.  I have heard from colleagues at other institutions that attendance dropped dramatically when lectures were videotaped.  Teaching to an empty room and a video camera is hardly inspiring to those who lecture, and I would guess would have an impact on the quality of instruction. 

  Finally, I think there are important considerations on how (or if) we could use material under copyright in powerpoint presentations etc. if lectures are distributed beyond a secure site such as our own blackboard.

• Anonymous

  Dec 10, 2011 at 7:29 am

  Just a couple comments on points already made:

  1.  I totally agree with 11:02 am that online education can be a great substitute for gifted students away from major cities.  But isn’t the whole point of college bringing students together for an in-person experience?  I’m sure I’ll use CTY courses for my kids too, but what I’d love is if there were better local in-person options (actually, if the administration wanted to get a faculty group together to work on THAT, I’d be happy to get involved.  I think it’d really help us in new faculty recruiting.)

  2.  On 3:41 pm’s comment about watching lectures first so students arrive at class with a basic set of facts and class time can focus on a discussion.  We already have a great technology for delivering a basic set of facts before class—books!  Most of us read faster than we speak, so reading is a more efficient way of conveying information.  There may be certain sets of facts for which a videotaped lecture is a more efficient means, and there may be certain special needs students for whom a videotaped lecture or a textbook-on-tape is an appropriate accommodation.

  Given our place in the education market, I’m not sure we should be anything like the first movers here.  There are real risks to our brand.  Let the schools with large lecture classes experiment, and if there are ideas that make sense for us, we can copy them. 

• Anonymous

  Dec 11, 2011 at 2:05 pm

  We have to keep up with the Jones’ and use technology. It probably helps at the margin. But NOTHING will replace small class sizes with PERSONAL interaction and a blackboard. We should invest in good blackboards with good chalk.

• Anonymous

  Dec 11, 2011 at 5:07 pm

  I think that a learning environment that blends traditional and online learning can create a more enriching academic experience for our students.  Just as courses now have required reading prior to class, I can see opportunities for this “required reading” to be an online learning activity that prepares students more fully for the in-person interactions in the classroom.

  Aren’t the language labs an “old-school” example of blended learning using technology? Spend some time on your own, working with technologically sophisticated tools, and then come to class prepared to build on what you’re learning.

• '13

  Dec 12, 2011 at 2:20 am

  Absolutely not. While online learning does have a time and place, I don’t think that time is during traditional students first go at undergrad (most Dartmouth students) and I don’t think the place is Dartmouth. The way I’ve seen online/blended learning applied at other schools is to cut costs and time with the “gen ed” classes. These classes are typically freshman or sophomore level classes that “everyone has to take.” But I think that these are the times that face to face interaction with a professor is most valuable. Coming in as a freshman is already hard enough, without feeling like you’ve just enrolled into an online school.

  Where do I think Dartmouth could use online/blended learning? With our alumni and community. Plenty of alumni and community members would love to be able to take a(nother) Dartmouth course for enrichment or supplement. Offer basic online courses for alumni and community members with a small charge for auditing, or a slightly higher charge for credit.

• Francisco J. Herrera

  Dec 12, 2011 at 2:37 am

  Recording lectures (and discussions!) would be great to have as an additional resource. Many professors already do that. I strongly believe that the best intellectual experiences will be in person. As a student, there is nothing for my academic growth that can replace the exchange that takes place during a lecture or discussion, not the best book, website or live chat.

  As others have commented, I think the best use for online education is for those individuals that cannot be in the classroom, including alums and high-school students. This would

  None of this is new in academia though. MIT’s open courseware has been available for years and with iTunesU and YouTube U, we would really just be catching up (which of course is great!).

• Joe Montibello

  Dec 12, 2011 at 2:34 pm

  Professors need to answer this question, and rather than making an all or nothing decision, we should support those faculty who want to use blended classes. I suspect most profs would not immediately jump on board, and that’s a good thing.  Those who are most interested in teaching this way should have a small, focused team of support people that can help them get it started and keep it running. No one should be required to teach using these tools, but those who want to should be encouraged and supported.

  Faculty know how they want to teach, and the institution wins if we give them the best tools available in support of that. Whether they need server space, a Learning Management System, or a supply of good chalk, fulfilling those needs is going to pay off for the students.

• Brian Estrada

  Dec 13, 2011 at 9:59 am

  While the College is right to be searching for innovation in many dimensions, I feel that with respect to actual delivery of education it is vital to invest in its core competency of traditional classroom education in an environment characterized by small class sizes and intimate faculty-student interaction.  The focus should be to become even more recognized for this strength, which will in turn become a powerful recruitment and outreach narrative for the institution.  There is plenty to do to shore up issues of class sizes, course availability, and traditional student advising.  To take up online/blended education now is to risk further dilution of a fundamental aspect of Dartmouth’s brand.

• Anonymous

  Dec 13, 2011 at 2:12 pm

  Supplying every classroom with a camera, COL recording software, and multiple technicians to staff these sorts of setups is a considerably large endeavor.

  In theory, it’d be great to record all lectures to make them available to students. In practice, it can incorporate lots of time-consuming troubleshooting and costly data management.
  Given our size, I’d say it goes beyond our needs as a small institution to offer online classes. Additionally, I think online classes would interrupt the function of the D-Plan, to which the college
  seems quite committed.

• Anonymous

  Dec 13, 2011 at 6:09 pm

  No, we should not be making a big push toward online or distance education across the institution. If there are some departments that have specific ideas for using these tools to achieve a particular purpose, that’s different. But encouraging people to think that you can put a college course in a box and get it out whenever it fits your busy schedule seems to me not in our interests—and I personally would object to having my teaching broadcast in this way, for lots of reasons.

• Chris Huston

  Dec 14, 2011 at 10:20 am

  There are ways to utilize online/blended education that do not require sacrificing Socratic, discussion-based classes, but actually enhance in-class discussion time.

  At Tuck we recently piloted a platform for having online interactive cases. Traditionally, students have had to read cases or other articles to prepare for the class discussion. The online platform we piloted had students read a portion of the case and then were presented with a question before reading the next section of the case. They could see what replies other students had posted, post their own replies, reply to other posts, and give a thumbs up to posts they found insightful.

  The advantages we found to using this approach were:
  1. A wider range of students were able to voice a wider range of opinions on the topics than can be done by only asking students questions in-class which is constrained by the time limits of the class.
  2. Students felt more comfortable offering out of the box opinions.
  3. Students were better prepared for the in-class discussion, resulting in a richer discussion than in previous classes that did not use this method.
  4. The instructor was able to see what the students were thinking about the reading and what areas were most interesting to the students prior to leading the in-class discussion.

  So having “online/blended” education can be a way to make our core strength of face-to-face, in-class discussions even stronger. I do not think we should frame the question as an either/or choice.

• Jane Lipson

  Dec 15, 2011 at 9:34 am

  There may well be instances where online resources will prove to be invaluable; that option should be left to faculty as a judgment call. However, we are increasingly moving to a social model of interaction-at-a-distance, not (in my mind) to the benefit of humankind. There are obvious exceptions (I love being able to use Facetime with my son, who is at university in California!).  I think that gathering together as a commmunity of learners, in person, is invaluable, and will remain so. Each class has its own dynamic, and that informs me as a teacher, while I am teaching (in real time). A classroom is not a theatre, however, the transitory nature of what passes between students and teacher during a class is as tangibly different from watching an online lecture as is a live theatre experience, relative to watching the movie version. There is value added to learning and teaching, in person, and that should not be compromised.

• anonymous

  Dec 15, 2011 at 10:32 pm

  I am not entirely sure what “blended” education is—I am assuming that it is some kind of combination of on-line and face-to-face education?  In theory, I am supportive of employing most of the new on-line technological tools for education, whether it is because they enable faster and more convenient access to research materials (not to mention the “green” aspect of some practices like saving articles to your hard drive or posting class readings on-line rather than xeroxing a bunch of pages!), or because they facilitate more interaction with students when face-to-face interaction is not possible or sufficient, or interaction with colleagues who are located at a distance—colleagues that can “appear” in the classroom to guest lecture or answer student questions about something that the guest has written about or researched.  However, I do believe that sometimes these technologies give students, in particular, the illusion that everything important to a research question can be found on-line, which every faculty member responding to this questionnaire knows is totally false.  It also raises some students’ expectations that it’s okay to miss class because you put your lectures (either post the written ones or record your lectures) on-line, right?  For me, new on-line technologies and sites are something that is added to educational practices, and while they have transformed some aspects of education, they are not a replacement for older techniques, both in the classroom and in the research arena.  It is a matter of “both/and” not “either/or.”  I also think that if there is any illusion that new technologies and sites take colleges off the hook for having to support libraries with greater financial resources, this would be a serious mistake—not only because not everything is digitized, nor will be in our lifetimes and so we need to add to and maintain hard copy materials, but because there are new companies that are offering digitized materials (archival newspapers, for example) that may be more expensive to purchase than older forms.  Colleges, including Dartmouth, should be giving the library more money right now to take advantage of these new resources.  I also think there should be a period at Dartmouth, perhaps in the next five years, when all tenured faculty (at the very least this group) have a chance to have a free term or a reduced course load ONCE to participate in classes to learn new technological tools and practices for teaching—I know D-Cal and Jones and others have workshops, but these are usually in our one-week term breaks or during the term and are very short classes and I can never participate because of these constraints.  If I was given one term in the next two or three years, and during that term I had to enroll in one or two courses that would teach new pedagogical tools that use technologies that I am not familiar with or softwares that I have not used, I could actually feel excited rather than anxious and annoyed about the new possibilities of teaching in this new tech environment.  I know I am behind the times in terms of new pedagogical tech tools (though not as behind as a few of my colleagues), but I just don’t have the time to get up to speed with our current course load, advising, and publishing expectations.  For faculty in certain disciplines and of a certain generation, this kind of one-time only free term to take such courses would be a god-send to them and help revolutionize teaching at Dartmouth so all students and depts. could be at the forefront of new tech.

• Anonymous

  Dec 19, 2011 at 7:13 am

  I totally agree with the comment that it is vital for Dartmouth to invest in its core competency of traditional classroom education in an environment characterized by small class sizes and intimate faculty-student interaction.  The focus should be to become even more recognized for this strength, perhaps in contrast to those institutions who employ the distance learning model.  This being said, it is possible to enhance this experience with some focused distance support for faculty who are interested in adding it to the classroom experience, however this is very expensive and Dartmouth is having a challenging time right now providing core IT support.  Unless significant additional resources were added to create a distinct unit to implement and support distance education services, (and this goes beyond IT to include additional administrative resources,) all would suffer. The more successful distance learning models of quality are at the graduate level, and perhaps that is where Dartmouth should also focus.

• Robert Oxford

  Dec 22, 2011 at 11:26 am

  Dartmouth should support, and be involved in, anything and everything that enhances the learning/educational experience.  Technology is nothing but an additional tool that educators have at their disposal that, in certain cases, can enhance that experience.

  Dartmouth exists in a competitve environment.  Not availing itself of tools, techniques and discoveries that can enhance the educational experience, whether or not those are technological in nature or not, will eventually make Dartmouth non-competitive.

• Lauren DeChant

  Jan 19, 2012 at 11:48 am

  The question should never be to use technology or not. Start with: How will today’s students learn this topic in a meaningful, effective way? The answer to this should drive the choice of if, when and how technology can be used. Certain faculty are such dynamic lecturers and facilitators of live in-person discussions that it would be a disservice to video the lectures and put them online. However, there may be other aspects of the course that can be online that would actually enhance the overall learning. Perhaps, a great classroom discussion is continued in an online forum where you are not limited by time. Chris Huston (above) gives a great example of how online blends with classroom experience.

  The use of technology does not detract from Dartmouth’s reputation - and does not mean Dartmouth becomes like University of Phoenix (I don’t mean to diss UofP - they have a role and market in education); if technology is driven by sound pedagogy and quality standards, it can enhance a learning experience.

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