What's Next in Education

Woke AF

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Jul 29, 2009
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When your professor is dead, but teaches anyway
MISS CELLANIA 4:02 AM FRI JAN 22, 2021


A real-life example leads to questions on education, labor, and economic worth. Aaron Ansuini made a surprising discovery with all kinds of implications.

The university appears to have no problem listing a deceased professor as the "teacher" of this particular course.

Yeah, it's a lecture class, but in most colleges, the job of teaching goes beyond lectures. Normally, professors have office hours to discuss issues with students, and they answer questions in and after class and by email. And they give grades. We can assume that there is a TA to grade papers and exams, and maybe even answer questions, but aren't they then the actual "teacher" of the class?
Let's take that another step. What if this isn't just a one-off case of a popular professor dying. With so many classes online, why wouldn't universities just lay off any professor with a body of recorded lectures? We already know that tenure is harder to achieve every year, and schools are relying more and more on adjunct professors who teach a couple of classes on yearly contracts with no benefits. This scheme could save schools even more money! Of course, tuition will remain the same. One prof in the Twitter thread saw this possibility already.

And you have to consider the scenario of a student who doesn't realize the listed professor is deceased, and requests a letter of recommendation. It's hard for me to imagine asking one from a professor I hadn't met, but it's totally possible in a world of social-distance learning. Aaron Ansuini is a proponent of online classes and using technology to make education more accessible, but this is a transparency issue because the students weren't notified of the professor's, um, status.
You can read Ansuini's story at Threadreader or the entire discussion with replies at Twitter.
 

Woke AF

Tom Curren status
Jul 29, 2009
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Southern Tip, Norcal
It's an on line course, so I don't really think it matters, does it?
It matters in that the schools own the content. The instructor becomes not relevant. Schools would remove a giant labor issue in the business model. Schools become a repository of past lectures that students are required to take.

The business model does not understand education is not a business. Students are not receptacles waiting for information to be poured into their minds. Education is a dynamic of questioning and being questioned. Making relationships with instructors and peers on the same path. All of that is lost listening to a dead person.
 

StuAzole

Duke status
Jan 22, 2016
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It matters in that the schools own the content. The instructor becomes not relevant. Schools would remove a giant labor issue in the business model. Schools become a repository of past lectures that students are required to take.

The business model does not understand education is not a business. Students are not receptacles waiting for information to be poured into their minds. Education is a dynamic of questioning and being questioned. Making relationships with instructors and peers on the same path. All of that is lost listening to a dead person.
But this is an on line class from a "university" that's unnamed. I get the feeling that this isn't Princeton or UCLA, but more National University or maybe even less. Is the school named somewhere that I didn't see?
 

Woke AF

Tom Curren status
Jul 29, 2009
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But this is an on line class from a "university" that's unnamed. I get the feeling that this isn't Princeton or UCLA, but more National University or maybe even less. Is the school named somewhere that I didn't see?
I am talking about a trend. It is the next step in online education. Way more cost-effective and why do you need a live autopax when you already have one in the can?
I bet eventually many schools will make 1st and even 2nd-year college students do this type of instruction.
 

Autoprax

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Jan 24, 2011
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I have students who wish I were dead.

I always tell them, "I hope I die and you get a really mean lady teacher to replace me. Then you'll be sorry."

I can't believe we are starting next week on the Zoom.

I worked online all morning and I got a sick feeling.

Online teaching isn't really teaching.:cry:
 
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StuAzole

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I am talking about a trend. It is the next step in online education. Way more cost-effective and why do you need a live autopax when you already have one in the can?
I bet eventually many schools will make 1st and even 2nd-year college students do this type of instruction.
I'm still not sure it matters.

My freshman year I sat in lecture halls with 300+ other people and never once spoke to the professor.

I had a class where I skipped pretty much every day. The one day I actually went we had a guest lecturer, so I spent the entire semester thinking my professor was another guy. Imagine my surprise when I went to his office hours to beg for more time to turn in my final paper!
 
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hal9000

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Jan 30, 2016
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Never heard of something like this. It’s pretty weird to be honest. Anyways, I never liked in-person education. I think you can achieve the same results online. That’s my personal preference, so I don’t mean by any way that it’s the best. However, I have some experience with online education, and I can firmly say that it was a great experience for me. Quite recently, I received my law degree from alu.edu, an online institution that offers a wide variety of subjects. I had a lovely time studying there, the people were very professional, and the teaching methods were very innovative. I definitely recommend it to others.
Oh jeez.

Who’s troll is this?
 

hammies

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Apr 8, 2006
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Colleges and school districts are always trying to minimize the effects of the instrctor. Common assessments, common curriculum, interchangeable classes, generic online lectures, etc.

Of course, anyone with half a brain knows the importance of having a good teacher.