Posting a picture of yourself is required at my school.

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by SurfDoctor, Sep 18, 2010.

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  1. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I'm just starting in the EdD program at Liberty University and was surprised that you are required to post a picture of yourself in your first thread on the discussion board in order to get full points for that post. I have never seen this before and was wondering what others thought.

    I actually don't mind, in fact, I rather like it because it adds a personal component to the discussions knowing what everyone looks like.

    In their defense, I would assume that contacting the professor and stating that you would like to be excused from that requirement would probably get you off the hook.
     
  2. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

    Tell them taking photos of yourself steals your soul.
     
  3. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    LOL Thanks a lot, wise guy! :)
     
  4. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    The requirement to post a picture is a bit odd but not unheard of... It is happening more and more but not at the universities at which I teach.

    In the early days of truly online education, we used to herald the fact that personal appearance, gender, and ethnicity, etc. didn't have to get in the way of full participation in the education process...
     
  5. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    That's great, like you said it makes it more personal.
     
  6. GoodYellowDogs

    GoodYellowDogs New Member

    I kind of like it! The thing that make distance learning different is that you don't get that personal interaction to the extent you do in B&M classes. I HATE having my picture taken (I'm sure it steals my soul!), but I'd do it for a class. Or I'd post my dog pictures!
     
  7. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I would tell them that you value privacy and refuse. I started to provide the option for students to post pictures - some did and some did not. I found the views of students toward other students would change when the pictures got posted. There would be more judgments based on "attractiveness", race, and general sense of the picture (one picture was of a girl with her tongue out and showing the piercing - a bit on the sensual side and another was of a guy who was covered in tattoos with a skin-head/biker look)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 18, 2010
  8. twentyseven

    twentyseven Member

    All of the online classes at the various institutions I've been at never required a picture, but it was encouraged. I think it's important, actually, because since you're not in a face-to-face class, it can help to actually put a face to your classmates. I guess people could use fake pictures, but, to be honest, that's irrelevant. To me, it's more about making everything a little bit more personal, as one would get in a real classroom, without entirely pushing the edge. I've always posted a picture of myself in every online class I've taken (usually in student profiles).
     
  9. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Exactly. Perceptions of other students do seem to change when a picture is added. That is why I encourage students to complete their profiles but I don't require it.
     
  10. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    So, what's going to stop someone from just scraping a random pic of someone off the net and posting it?
     
  11. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    As I begin to get to know the culture there, I am certain that they would understand if you did not want a pic posted.

    I agree with your views on the issue of students forming opinions of others based on their appearance. That would be the primary reason to avoid pictures, I think.
     
  12. rickyjo

    rickyjo New Member

    I believe in preserving the anonymity of the Internet for those who desire it. I would make it clear this is optional, perhaps a single extra credit point as a very mild incentive (still leery of it) but I'm strongly opposed to this practice. I don't think one should even have to contact the professor to get off the hook, either.

    I would imagine those using online classes for the sake of anonymity is small, but lets not take away any benefits of online learning just to emulate a system that people are intentionally opting out of.
     
  13. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I suspected that some members would feel this way and I can understand why many would. So far, everyone in my class has posted a nice pic and no one that I know of has complained.
     
  14. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    Requiring at least, a passport sized photo of students and professors in all boards/forums requiring collective participation makes an online class experience seem more real (also provide a face-to-face feel for students who relate more and may feel more comfortable with fellow students). I suggested this to one of my Profs at TUI during my masters, but he said he has no control over the system. I believe the best online class/program experiences will be those that incorporate minute requirements such as a photos, profiles, etc. into their overall online educational delivery systems.
     
  15. rickyjo

    rickyjo New Member

    I think most students would accommodate willingly if asked. Why make it mandatory? As long as it's optional one reaps the benefits without suffering the consequences, real or perceived.
     
  16. bazonkers

    bazonkers New Member

  17. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Yes, the pics are making the discussions more "real" for me too.
     
  18. rickyjo

    rickyjo New Member

    I'll post one :)
    [​IMG] I'm the one that isn't unbelievably gorgeous :)
     
  19. Is this the right thread to mention it would be nice if we could have avatars here?
     
  20. rickyjo

    rickyjo New Member

    RickyJo 2nds the motion (for the 25,673rd time). :D
     

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