What's better: PhD from a .com school or a DBA from a B&M?

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by SurfDoctor, Aug 14, 2010.

Loading...
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Canned as in prepackaged ready to go courses. Instructors do not design syllabus, content, discussion questions, assignments nor have authority to change text books or content.

    Instructors are only required to moderate discussions, grade assignments and answer questions( however, most of the time they are given already answers to the canned assignments).

    Canned courses are many times designed by professors from known Universities.

    I understand the model and it makes sense from the cost perspective. An adjunct wouldn`t take 2K to teach a class that requires content design, assignment creation and full set of solutions generation. In particular because the adjunct doesn`t know if he or she will teach the couse ever again.

    On the other hand, the canned concept goes against academic freedom that prevents the academic from contributing to knowledge by adding value to the course with their own research. It is basically fast food education.
     
  2. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    While the classes are canned (like they are at most schools) the instructors can add material to ensure the content is more up to date and a reflection of the instructors expereince and knowledge. Don't you do that with the classes you teach?

    Doesn't any formal edcuation really go against free thought? We are told what to think and know because it came from a book...which is what someone else was told to think.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 12, 2011
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I too would like to see this and many other frequently repeated pieces of degreeinfo.com lore subjected to actual empirical analysis.
     
  4. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Proof, we don't need no stinkin' proof! (of course said like Treasure of the Sierra Madre)

    We don't need no stinking badges! - YouTube
     
  5. DegreeDazed

    DegreeDazed Member

    RFValve, am I to understand that you do not hold a doctorate degree?
     
  6. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    I don`t understand your obsession for this, my doctorate is irrelevant to the discussion.
     
  7. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    We can have endless discussion about this. I have taught both canned and my own courses. My own experience is that teaching canned courses is far different from teaching courses that you have to design, do your own research, etc. I don`t use books for most of my courses.
    There is nothing wrong with moderating online canned courses, I just don`t think a doctorate is required.

    People can make their own mind. I don`t need to sustain my comments with external research studies or have to give my credentials to add credibility to my statements as I don`t gain nothing from this. The leads are there and people can make their own decision and make their own research about how things work.

    I have contributed enough to this thread and will not be adding more.

    Thanks for the nice discussion.
     
  8. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I was only asking honest questions in the discussion. I do understand the difference between canned classes and "open-classes". The classes that I teach that are canned have a structure and I add content. In the open-classes (for lack of a better term) I teach/taught, I designed them and delivered them. Those were mostly corporate training classes in content where I was an expert. Another was for a CC.

    As far as being asked about your credentials, I think that is fair question from and to anyone, but that is just me. By the way, I might just add this to my signature line - it is classic, "I don`t need to sustain my comments with external research studies or have to give my credentials to add credibility to my statements as I don`t gain nothing from this." I didn't realize it was all about you.

    Have a nice evening.
     
  9. DegreeDazed

    DegreeDazed Member

    You seem to present yourself as the undisputed expert on these matters and I was just wondering if you had any credentials to back it up. I don't think the fact that you have been on Degree Info a long time is sufficient reason. You make all these claims without backing them up with data so you must be an expert. When you post, you tend to say the same things over and over and I found that fact interesting. I was wondering if you were a representative from an AACSB school or something and had this particular axe to grind.

    Moreover, most of the regulars I have seen here seem to understand that a non-AACSB degree earned at an online school will not offer the same job opportunities in top business or as facility in AACSB schools yet you remind everyone over and over that this is the case. It would be safe to wager that many on this board are tired of hearing about it and some may even be insulted by hearing it over and over, even if it is true.

    The fact that you will not state your credentials leads me to assume that you either don't have any, or you are ashamed of those you have.
     
  10. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    One does not need a PhD to have a general feel for the pulse of academia. Interaction with faculty, staff, etc. at universities, at conferences, online groups, etc. can give you a good feel for it. Sure, is it something that you would publish in a peer-reviewed journal? No, but truth doesn't have to have a demonstrated statistical significance to be true.

    No one is required to post or to read here. If someone is insulted by the truth that an AACSB degree typically has more benefits than a non-AACSB degree, then that person needs to learn not to be so easily offended. It doesn't make non-AACSB degrees bad; the AACSB degrees just have some advantages.

    Or RFValve doesn't want to wave them around on the internet.
     
  11. DegreeDazed

    DegreeDazed Member

    I'm sure that he appreciates you coming to his defense, but you have missed the whole point of what I said.
     
  12. okydd

    okydd New Member

     
  13. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    You know what happens when you assume.......

    Some people here choose to list their degrees, others do not. That doesn't automatically invalidate the opinions of either.
     
  14. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    I have not missed the point. RFValve has presented opinions, which is within the ability of every poster on DI.

    Am I biting on the appeal to authority? No. Credentials don't determine fact. Asking about RFValve's credentials as a means to undermine his argument isn't working.

    I have not missed the point. Your point is simply unjustified.
     
  15. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Randell,

    You have been long enough here to know the game. When people start asking about your credentials, many times is because they want to undermine you or attack you. I don't mind sharing my educational experiences when this is relevant to the discussion but not when someone is asking them with the intention to find something to attack you.
    The comments from the attacker just confirms his real intentions.
     
  16. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

     
  17. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

     
  18. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Thank you. That helps me to understand your position much better. As someone who oversees academics (including instructional design) at a fairly large online learning division of a brick & mortar university (40 online programs, 430 + courses, 4,000 students and 150 faculty) I have to deal with this issue on a regular basis. I have plenty of vendors who have tried to sell me "canned" courses that require us to use a particular textbook or for students to be taken out of our LMS to a course hosted on a vendor's site. I have never been interested in courses like this.

    Our online "master" courses are built by a team of a faculty subject matter expert, teamed up with one of my instructional designers. Every quarter, the content from the masters courses are copied into the individual course sections to be taught that quarter. The faculty teaching the courses have the ability to add content to course and to personalize the course as they wish. Does this have the elements of "canned" courses? I suppose so.

    When I was teaching in a program where specific courses were taught only by certain faculty, then having completely personalized courses made some sense. However, when multiple faculty are teaching the same course, it makes little sense (either economically or educationally) to have six distinct versions of an online course, each with different learner outcomes. Academic freedom really does not enter into the picture, as faculty are not restricted from adding their own unique flavor to the instruction or from researching or teaching controversial topics.
     
  19. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Fair enough - just realize that my questions were genuine. We all have opinions based on the world we see though our own eyes. I only ask questions because I want to know. I have never held a single believe so tight that I would never let it go regardless of what I am shown. If you want to continue a healthy debate we can do it though PMs :cool2:

    Would I recommend an AACBS PhD to someone just finishing college with very little corporate expereince that wanted a TT position - of course. Does an AACSB PhD work for everyone or is it practical for everyone - of course not.
     
  20. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Randell, you know that we are friends as we have been discussing for long time so I never take your questions as attacks.

    As virtual institutions keep increasing their tuition fees and the value of a non AACSB accredited doctorate seems to be decreasing. I would say that there is no reason for not taking an AACSB accredited program.

    I would rather spend a bit more money and spend more time and finish with a degree that has more value.

    However, I would leave it at this and promise not to talk about the subject for at least few months. I don't want to be attacked again from being a AACSB shill or fake expert in the subject.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 13, 2011
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page