"The E-Learning Curve"- Glenn C. Altschuler

While both essays that I have read in the investigative section, deal with electronics, I find one to grasp my attention more successfully and to hold more clarity than the other. "Altschuler's essay, "The E-Learning Curve," takes more of an objective approach than Skow's "Lost in Cyberspace". The author manages to write the facts, showing both sides of the story with very few opinions. I think that I would deem his essay much more investigatory than the other.

With this in mind, I must also admit that I found the specific topic within technology much more interesting than the conflict that Skow tried to conquer. Altschuler discusses the effectiveness of using the internet to take classes. These online courses seem to be the new trend in our culture. In fact, as Altschuler states, "With 90,000 nontraditional students enrolled, the University of Phoenix is not the largest private university in the United States" (245).

While this type of learning obviously attracts many people for the convenience that is offers, I think that I would highly avoid using this tactic to enhance my own knowledge and education. As Altschuler explains in his article, having online courses that can be done at the individual's own convenience, means that for the many procrastinators out there, nothing will ever be done until the last minute. Another factor that I agree with is the lack of personal interaction an online course provides. One cannot engage in a stimulating conversation about a certain topic, which I believe is a vital process of learning. Hearing other people's opinions, looking at the facts, and trying to form your own, is a great part of education. We are meant to learn to think for ourselves. However, with online courses, all one has to do is simply regurgitate material in essay format without any discussions from the professor or fellow classmates.

Furthermore, without that interaction, it becomes easier for a person to simply become a hermit and never leave their room to venture into the outside world. While college is mainly established for educational purposes, relationship building becomes another essential key to academic success. Learning how to cope with different people (by living with different roommates, working on group projects, etc.) is an imperative skill that everyone needs while entering the workforce. As Altschuler states, "Not every student can (or wants to) leave family and work, but those who do tend to complete degrees at a higher rate than those who don't" (247). This proven merely for the diverse amount of interaction a student receives when attending an university as opposed to taking online courses in the comfort of mom and dad's home.

I think that these online courses have good intentions, but when used by the wrong audience, can produce more negative impacts than positive ones. Groups of people that perhaps would benefit greatly from these online courses would be adults who have received a degree or have a job and are trying to obtain another degree to reach a higher level job or start on a different career path. This program may be beneficial for the single mother working at a convenient store who needs the flexibility to take the courses when she has the time, which could be late at night after putting her children to sleep.

Surely, these online courses can be helpful in society when used on the right population of people. Students freshly out of high school and learning to become mature adults should, however, consider learning in a colligate environment and avoid these online courses.