Online classes
Hey there! This post was written in 2008, so it may contain information that is no longer accurate or thoughts that no longer reflect how I feel. As human beings, we're constantly learning and bettering ourselves through experiences and interactions with the world and each other.
I keep posts like this around for historical purposes and to prevent link rot, so please keep this in mind as you're reading.
— Cory
When you sign up for online classes, you do so via the Internet. That means there are no registration lines and no bitchy ladies telling you the registration form hasn't been filled out properly. There are no physical classrooms to show up late to, which means there are no boring lectures that you can fall asleep to. Exams are administered online, which means you can take them bare-assed at two in the morning while listening to Queen. Online classes are schweet!
There is, however, one thing that I really hate about them: the obligatory message board. This is where you answer questions to assignments and respond to classmates about what you're learning in the course. This sucks because part of your grade usually relies on responding to these people, whom you've never met, don't care to meet, and won't ever talk to again unless, of course, you're afforded the luxury of seeing them in future online classes. You lucky dog.
Let's think about this. There are three reasons why I take courses online:
- I can "attend" class whenever I want
- I can, for the most part, work at my own pace
- I generally don't like associating with the people in my class
Perhaps if conversations on the message board were more meaningful than "Great job, Larry! Your post was really insightful" and "Thanks for pointing that out, Cathy, I didn't think of that before", I would be more apt to participate. I don't think I've ever finished reading one of these posts without my IQ dipping into the negatives for at least a moment.
I know that's a pretty mean thing to say, but everyone else in the class has to feel the same way; otherwise there would be more effort and meaning put into their responses.