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From Ethel Weinberg – Dule LLI, Durham, NC
We at the Duke Institute for Learning in Retirement have been exploring
the possibility of offering some distance learning courses as well as
some classroom courses with distance learning components. Sara Craven
and I would be interested in the response to your recent inquiry on this
subject.
From Barbara Reinish, Northwestern LLI, Chicago, IL
As you probably know, we are working toward creating an online study group
for participants at Northwestern LLI, Harvard LLI, and The New School
IRP. It will take a lot of work and commitment, because it's a challenge
both from a technological and content point of view. We've already experimented
online groups several times at Northwestern. This time, we expect to include
more training for coordinators and participants in the use of the technology
before the project actually begins. As in the past, Ralph Otwell is central
to the effort. You might want to keep your options open until the concept
has been refined on a small scale. Our group's training will be in the
fall, and an actual distance learning study group should begin in winter
or spring. If successful, distance learning study groups would be wonderful
for people who are homebound or too far from an existing LLI to participate.
From Jack Feeney - ALL, Carnegie Mellon U., Pittsburgh, PA
The concept of online courses did not excite me when I first heard it.
However, we at CMU have a serious problem. About a third of our courses
are oversubscribed every term and many of our members who apply cannot
get in and are disappointed. Offering more courses is not the answer (we
have 700 members and we offer about 45 courses a term) because the more
popular courses are always overbooked. Perhaps offering the courses online
as well as in the classroom might possibly be a solution. We also have
to limit the number of courses a member takes and online courses may be
a solution there as well. I wonder if we could offer the same course online
and in the classroom at the same time. Also we limit out membership to
700 and we have a waiting list of 250. We probably could have a membership
of 1500 if we wanted. Realistically our membership is limited because
of course limits and available classrooms. Online courses could possibly
greatly lessen these two limitations. I also envision having two classes
of membership with the one being limited to online courses. This could
allow an unlimited number of members who are limited to online courses
where size is not a problem and it would not further overburden the traditional
"classes in the classroom" approach. The theoretical benefits seem endless.
The big question is would it work? I think the best answer is, that it
will someday. Has that day come? We intend to look into all of the above.
From Mary Thompson - RISE, Rivier College, Nashua, NH
It makes all sorts of sense to have courses on-line, for those who are
too ill, disabled or in remote areas. It would be too bad not to be as
inclusive as we can be and this helps solve the problem of the huge demand
for classrooms. We don't do this yet, but we are exploring using taped
videos and audios with a classroom facilitator to expand our offerings.
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May 12, 2008
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