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Kefir gives many first hand experiences and examples that students are ultimately losing out on intellectual opportunities when it comes to taking online writing classes. I believe that students of online writing classes suffer intellectually because of faulty learning mediums, student obligations and the lack of student interactions. Within the article, “Do Students Loose More Than They Gain in Online Writing Classes” the author, Kate Kefir, discusses many valid points that are both for and against this argument. Kefir is a writing professor that has over twenty five years of experience teaching.
She has taught writing classes to students face o face, in hybrid classes (both online and in class room setting) and online. Within the essay Kefir mentions the differences between online and in class mediums. She gives firsthand knowledge on both accounts. Kefir also gives accounts of how students of upper education levels have many other obligations besides education that effect online and in classroom learning. Kefir accounts that students of writing classes, in general, want feedback on their writing from her as a professor.
In online classes and in the classroom, Kefir encourages peer discussions and reviews of writing that help students earn the entire writing process. Kefir is writing this article to present her argument that students do lose more than they gain in online writing classes because students not only have limitations of online technologies that can take away from the overall learning experience but students are also lacking from not having student to student interactions. With critiquing Kefir position, agree with her argument as I have taken writing classes in the classroom setting and online.
When it comes to taking classes in an online setting there are many factors that can take away from learning. It seems that any online learning systems need updates or system maintenance often. Online learning intuitions may try to schedule the technological maintenance when students are less likely to be completing assignments. But, realistically students are taking classes online to fit into their busy schedules. Students from all over the world could be trying to access online classes at any time imaginable.
It is nearly impossible for online learning intuitions to perform technological maintenance that does not conflict with student learning. I have firsthand experience of my online learning system being down when I was raying to finish an exam by the deadline. The author argues that with the online learning medium downloading speed effects student learning. Kefir (2007) continues her argument by stating “Retrieving a paper attached to a forum posting or email can take students up to 20 minutes, often time that students do not have to sit staring at an unresponsive computer screen” (p. 45). Not only does Kefir argue that students lose due to faulty learning mediums but EL Mansion and Mapping, the authors of “Students’ Positive and Negative Experiences in Hybrid and Online Classes,” found proof agreeing to this argument. EL Mansion and Mapping performed a study that followed forty one students taking online courses. These students recalled from their online interactions that some negatives they experienced were “technology hiccup and a sense of feeling lost in Cyberspace” (EL Mansion and Mapping, 2007, p. 242).
Overall, faulty learning mediums are getting in the way of students success in online writing classes. With writing, “Do Students Loose More than They Gain in Online Writing Classes” the author argues that not only do faulty learning mediums take away from students learning but also the obligations that students have outside of academia. Many students that choose to further their education online are busy working individuals with families. After a busy day of work and dealing with family matters, students have to find time perform their school work.
I face the issue of having other obligations to face before my education often. At times I feel the real battle of higher education is knowing how to manage several projects at once and realizing which ones take precedence if time to complete them is minimal. Due to students juggling work, family and education, students typically perform their school work on the weekends. Typically discussion sots to online writing classes are due every Sunday. This means that most busy students are only taking a maximum of two days to perform their class work and to engage in class discussions.