Hey college students if you don't have a strategy you wont be ready for university classes, most colleges are already trending toward more and more online courses with the very format you describe, at least for the core classes. The only thing I (with humor) take issue with in your statement is the part about "thousands of students per course.." yikes!
I'm not trashing the online format--I like it, but it would be unrealistic to think that a teacher could handle more than a few dozen students in a single course, unless it's the only one (or two) he was teaching. You still have assign homework and exams, and that would be a lot of grading! :)
As far as the $10k bachelor's degree is concerned, I would think it could be doable. Not every degree, probably, but some. Especially if universities were not so determined to hire Ph.Ds in every field. For most classes, a Master's would be sufficient. Degrees like home economics (which is still offered) or elementary education just do not require as much skill and research as do chemistry and physics.
Also, colleges could cut out a lot of unnecessary requirements. Does someone going to school to become a band director really need nine hours of history and government, two sciences, and four P.E. credits? Why not just let the students take the courses they need, and let degrees become more like certificates?
For somewhat obvious reasons, these are not comments I bring up casually at faculty meetings. It would make an interesting idea for a conference paper, but not one I would want to publish pre-tenure.
I'm not trashing the online format--I like it, but it would be unrealistic to think that a teacher could handle more than a few dozen students in a single course, unless it's the only one (or two) he was teaching. You still have assign homework and exams, and that would be a lot of grading! :)
As far as the $10k bachelor's degree is concerned, I would think it could be doable. Not every degree, probably, but some. Especially if universities were not so determined to hire Ph.Ds in every field. For most classes, a Master's would be sufficient. Degrees like home economics (which is still offered) or elementary education just do not require as much skill and research as do chemistry and physics.
Also, colleges could cut out a lot of unnecessary requirements. Does someone going to school to become a band director really need nine hours of history and government, two sciences, and four P.E. credits? Why not just let the students take the courses they need, and let degrees become more like certificates?
For somewhat obvious reasons, these are not comments I bring up casually at faculty meetings. It would make an interesting idea for a conference paper, but not one I would want to publish pre-tenure.
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