Open Letter/Response to Oversimplifications and Overgeneralizations about Harmful Online Education

FridayLive!

Better to Clothe the Emperor than Leap into the Chasm

We'll work on 2 brief lists of important elements that differentiate among online courses, review an Open Letter/Resource draft, and invite TLT Group members to volunteer as additional writer/editors, and initial signatories.

The Open Letter/Resource draft is intended for TLT Group members and frequent participants in FridayLive! who are often called to help those just beginning online education. Especially those “beginners” who have previously succeeded in higher education, but lack the experience and background needed to recognize:

• Oversimplifications and overgeneralizations about the harmfulness (or helpfulness) of online courses.
  
• Well-designed and effectively-supported online courses.

Why?  Because readers who are only beginning to consider online education may be misled by some introductory articles that focus on a narrow selection of students and online courses without acknowledging a wider variety of already-successful alternatives (e.g., Dynarski in NYT Jan, 2018 )

PARTIAL Solution: Perspective (Short Lists)

Based on experience and knowledge of the variety of purposes, structures, and online technologies in recent use for online courses, and the importance of other contextual elements, we offer a possible antidote:  A BRIEF introduction to current options, hopes, and fears for online education in the form of 4 short lists.

1. Different Kinds of Online Courses (Maximum 10)

2. Different Kinds of Online Learners and Teachers (Maximum 10 of each)

3. Recommendations (Questions, References, Guidelines
(Maximum 15 total)

4. Hopes and Fears for Online Education (Maximum 5 each)

More...