Online Notes: Help or Hindrance?
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: Features
By Nicole Dales
Rotunda Reporter
With the turn of the 21st century, technology has been becoming a large part of education. Elementary school classrooms have computers, middle schools have laptop carts and high schools are using Blackboard and TurnItIn.com for students to submit papers and other assignments. Now some college professors are posting lectures and handouts on Blackboard for their students' use.
Some professors feel that posting these materials online is beneficial for students because they can read the material before class and can use them as study guides. Other professors feel that posting these materials online will only give students and incentive to skip class.
"I am against posting lectures online. Lectures are given during class time and the students need to be there for the benefit of the lectures," said Eric Laws, department chair and associate professor of psychology. "Many of my lectures are anatomical drawings, and there may be copyright restrictions in making those available to students. Before the time of PowerPoint, students had no expectation of having the lecture notes provided for them. They shouldn't have that expectation now."
Assistant Professor of Computer Science John Graham said, "I am not a big fan of printed lecture material. My lectures complement the book, not repeat it. I work hard to make them interesting, and if they are all printed out students do not pay attention."
A survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA that consisted of over 40,000 students showed that 33 percent of freshmen skipped class frequently or occasionally.
"I do not question my colleagues who choose to post their lectures, as that is a personal choice based on a numerous variables and teaching styles," Department Chair and Associate Professor of Archaeology Brian Bates said. "For my part, I chose not to do it. In my view, if lectures are posted online then what is the incentive for students to attend classes and pay attention?"
Rotunda Reporter
With the turn of the 21st century, technology has been becoming a large part of education. Elementary school classrooms have computers, middle schools have laptop carts and high schools are using Blackboard and TurnItIn.com for students to submit papers and other assignments. Now some college professors are posting lectures and handouts on Blackboard for their students' use.
Some professors feel that posting these materials online is beneficial for students because they can read the material before class and can use them as study guides. Other professors feel that posting these materials online will only give students and incentive to skip class.
"I am against posting lectures online. Lectures are given during class time and the students need to be there for the benefit of the lectures," said Eric Laws, department chair and associate professor of psychology. "Many of my lectures are anatomical drawings, and there may be copyright restrictions in making those available to students. Before the time of PowerPoint, students had no expectation of having the lecture notes provided for them. They shouldn't have that expectation now."
Assistant Professor of Computer Science John Graham said, "I am not a big fan of printed lecture material. My lectures complement the book, not repeat it. I work hard to make them interesting, and if they are all printed out students do not pay attention."
A survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA that consisted of over 40,000 students showed that 33 percent of freshmen skipped class frequently or occasionally.
"I do not question my colleagues who choose to post their lectures, as that is a personal choice based on a numerous variables and teaching styles," Department Chair and Associate Professor of Archaeology Brian Bates said. "For my part, I chose not to do it. In my view, if lectures are posted online then what is the incentive for students to attend classes and pay attention?"
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