My Experience with Strayer University

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by pcguy, Apr 8, 2002.

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  1. pcguy

    pcguy New Member

    I thought I'd post a quick note on my recent experiences with Strayer University....

    I've now taken a few online courses...and I have to say, I am really enjoying it.

    I opt to take the "SYNC" classes vs. the "ASYNC" - so I can participate in the "class" with the professor.

    We meet for about 3 1/2 hours per week, per class - the neat thing is for those 3 1/2 hours, I listen to the professor's voice (real time) as he lectures, and watch the "slides" as he shows images, drawings, and uses it as a whiteboard.

    Before each break, he opens the chat room to questions, and answers each questions as it comes in.

    Compared to other schools that have these "virtual classrooms", this one seems to really be a realtime, real value, learning experience.

    I've read a few posts on here talking about the lack of the "emotional experience" regarding online and DL programs. If you can hear the professors voice, you can certainly receive the "feel" and emotions of the class....an example of this is when my professor more of less reprimanded some students for asking questions during a lecture....

    The more realtime a class can be, the more the students will get out of it. ASYNC and self paced is OK, but I prefer the SYNC and realtime classes - by FAR!

    -Just my opinion.

    Thanks-
     
  2. Leslie

    Leslie New Member

    While I do encourage sync communication in online classes, I do not like totally sync classes for the simple reason that it defeats the purpose of "anytime" learning. With sync classes you are just as tied down to a schedule as you are with traditional classes. A colleague had to drop out of a DL masters program because his teaching schedule at the college changed to evenings and he had to miss all the required sync discussions in his online classes. His grades suffered too much to make it worth staying in the program.

    As an optional mode of communication in the OLE I think it's great. I am strongly against synchronous communication as a requirement.

    Leslie
     
  3. pcguy

    pcguy New Member

    Point taken-

    Yep - that's true....

    I guess my main point is if you ARE taking a sync class, it's much better, and much more fun if you have live audio from your professor.
     
  4. Leslie

    Leslie New Member

    Re: Point taken-

    Point taken -- it definitely IS easier to talk than to type :) Of course voice recognition software helps with the typing -- but no way will I ever use sync video!! That is getting a little too close to traditional classroom teaching to my way of thinking!! LOL
     

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