University of California teachers’ union aims to block online classes

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• As the world has moved into a more digital age since the dawn of the 21st century, many aspects of life have also evolved, one of them being education techniques. With the wide scale implementation of the internet, online education has become widespread and significantly popular enough that many universities and colleges that have been operating for hundreds of years now have broken their old shackles and traditions and started offering online programs for those who are interested.

  • And that is a good thing!!!

• Hey Professor (in)Sanity! Who did all those studies you cite? The teacher's unions? Companies paid by the teacher's unions? Teachers? Student's promised an A+ if the studies arrived at the conclusions the teacher's unions want? Why don't you put some links up to all those studies you claim so we can delve into them?

• Did it ever occur to anyone that the reason the teacher's union wants to halt the online courses is because, to date, those courses have only shown that students don't learn well in them? Read up on all the recent studies--they all show that in the short term a student might do well in an online course, over the long term, online courses have not been successful in actually assisting in student learning? Sure, online students earn degrees--but do they actually learn the material? The recent studies all show that they do not.

  And what teachers want is that these courses be carefully, thoughtfully designed to teach students effectively. This was not a rash decision on the part of the teachers' union. The first year, students in the UC system did very poorly in online courses, and they all needed to be redesigned. What teachers--and professors--want is that we take some time to really design solid programs that students can really benefit from. Instead, what's going on is that administrators, anxious to bring in more cash, are cramming poorly-designed courses that provide little oversight of student work into already packed teaching schedules. That does not serve "the children" (who are actually college students) very well, does it?

  Good education requires diligent, deliberate planning and carefully monitored assistance to students throughout their courses. You can't just create anything you want and start adding it to the schedule without making sure that it 1) meets curriculum standards; 2) allows professors maximum opportunities to help students; 3) provides students with the highest level of instruction and content.

  And hey, RockingHorseGuy: Are you seriously insinuating that teaching is a "menial task"? Until you are expected to guide 100-200 students per semester, each with different learning styles, some with severe disabilities, all of whom deserving of individual attention, don't you dare do that. It's always those who don't teach who like to spout off about what teaching is or should be. The next time I get a death threat from a drugged out student or a combat veteran collapses into a PTSD episode in class, I will think of you and what you think is my "menial" job.

  • Why would you assume that I've never taught? And, since you're obviously an intellectual giant, why would you not see that I was using chain gangs, and menial tasks, as a metaphor?

    Next question. Since when have the teacher's unions been concerned about students?

    • Since Prof Sanitary is in the business of assuming things I'm going to match his assumption and say he probably teaches Comparative Lesbian Interpretive Dance as an adjunct gig.

  • Professor Sanity = Luddite. Clinging to a 700 year old university teaching model in this day and age is probably a poor career strategy.

  • "The next time I get a death threat from a drugged out student or a combat veteran collapses into a PTSD episode in class, I will think of you and what you think is my “menial” job."

    I'll be sure and let the guy at the Quickie Mart know that by the metrics of Professor Sanitary his job cannot be accurately described a menial.

• Wow how disgusting. This is all disgusting. Everytime people and parents try to find another way than the conventional crap, someone somewhere tries to plug it up. Insane.

  • Precisely why you can no longer have chaingangs of prisoners doing menial labor in public works. The public worker's unions want to be paid premium wages for doing the menial tasks, and they own the politicians that make the decisions.

• In the immortal words of Mo the bartender from the Simpson's: "Please! God! Won't somebody think of the children!" lol.... maybe the teacher's union should borrow that clip?

• I got my degree on-line, at my own pace, without having to sit thru lectures by a bunch of communist dope smokers who all think they are the next ruler of the world. Plus I don't have to sit in class with a large group of people with bizarre haircuts, body piercings and funny smells.

  The research and writing and testing was all done on line and was actually tougher than some of the regular classes you sit in. Next I think I'll get a masters degree in nursing online, with a minor degree in pain in the ass and I can understand what the hell Olivia talks about in her posts.

  • My daughter is doin the same! Last three years workin at it and you are right as it is tough, yes sir. Allows me and the missus to oversee a bit so's she doesn't fall into that cut and paste crap! Also, keeps her close to the hip during this time period.

    Also gives me the internets so's I can spout off, YES sir!

• Human teachers are going the way of the dodo bird.

• Let me guess, this is all for the children. The altruism of the many teachers unions brings a tear to my eye.

  • When the children star paying union dues, then the teacher's union will give a damn about "the children".