Online lectures - good or bad?

breeze77 · 2023-04-23T08:01:58+00:00

Hi there, we went to the Aberystwyth open day yesterday and were really disappointed to hear that the English lectures are all online. The seminars for the lectures are in person so they do have contact hours there, but all actual lectures are virtual. This felt like a bit of a red flag for me but they were selling it as if it was no problem at all, a positive part of the experience and the future of lectures. So I was just wondering if anyone has any experience of this way of doing things and what your thoughts are?

clary · 23/04/2023 09:47

My dd dud her Eng lit degree through Covid so online was her normal, but in fact for her final year when they were bavk to face to face seminars and tutorials, they kept the lectures online. She liked this as it meant she could watch them at her own pace and in her own time, and refer back when writing essays.

I do see tho that for a sociable student (dd quite introverted) there would be a liss of human contact.

Blamunge · 23/04/2023 09:48

I wouldn’t be happy at all. You’re paying for face to face teaching and use of facilities. If it’s going to be online I’d expect a price reduction.

MotherOfCrocodiles · 23/04/2023 09:53

Well in my experience as a lecturer, our lectures are in person but also streamed, and a majority of students choose to watch online.

I personally think this is really sad but it is worth bearing in mind that even places with in person lectures may have low attendance (ie no community atmosphere) and your DD herself may decide to watch online

Ask at the open day how attendance is and how they ensure attendance

MillieMollieMandy1 · 23/04/2023 09:54

My son is predominantly face to face. These 'live' face to face lectures are all recorded so still available to rewatch. I would guess it is very likely that these online lectures are the same ones as this year and possibly rolled out year on year (with a few updates). I am not someone who always talks about the extortionate fees but in this instance I would not be keen.

Oblomov23 · 23/04/2023 10:30

I wouldn't be happy with this at all. When visiting unis with ds1 the amount of in person and online was important to me. Yes some students like online, yea you can do it in your own time, whenever you want. But I want teaching. I want ds1 or en taught. Else what's the point? You might as well do an online course at home for £2k!

clary · 23/04/2023 11:04

I take everyone's points about in-person teaching, was just offering the PoV of someone who struggled with crowds of ppl.

A hybrid system sounds good as it is inclusive (ie supporting students like dd while offering a communal experience for those who prefer) but ofc if v few students actually turn up then that's not great either.

I think it is a good point to pursue op at other unis. What is the in person attendance like? And is there much opportunity for feedback or interaction in lectures? For sure seminars need to be in person.

burnoutbabe · 23/04/2023 11:37

I started my second degree pre covid then went into lockdown.

Even pre covid I watched sone lectures online rather than in person as it saved an hours commute.

However one huge benefit of online live classes we had during lockdown is lack of people chatting! Bliss. Even at masters levels I had to ask people to stop chatting during the lecture as I couldn't hear what people were saying in discussion).

Pre recorded classes were okay for the first stages of lockdown but went beck quickly to live online ones. I like them being recorded in case I couldn't attend (not that I ever did but many students skip for interviews or holidays) and I never bothered watching more than once unless I failed to catch a key phrase and then I'd review later.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 23/04/2023 11:51

BA (Hons) Eng Lit with the Open University is £3,462 per year.

Those seminars must be astronomically good to justify an extra £6k a year.

universityhelp · 23/04/2023 12:21

If you studied with the OU full time though it would be double that, which I think makes it not that good value.
For an arts course where there isn't much contact time anyway, I agree that all lectures should have an in-person option, all courses should really with recorded versions to watch for those who prefer it.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 23/04/2023 12:27

universityhelp · 23/04/2023 12:21

If you studied with the OU full time though it would be double that, which I think makes it not that good value.
For an arts course where there isn't much contact time anyway, I agree that all lectures should have an in-person option, all courses should really with recorded versions to watch for those who prefer it.

I looked it up before posting and it said that's the price for full-time.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 23/04/2023 12:30

Sorry you're right, I'd pressed part time by mistake

universityhelp · 23/04/2023 12:32

That is the price for a 60 point course, unless some courses are priced differently. I agree with your general point but don't think OU is as good value for money as it used to be.

universityhelp · 23/04/2023 12:33

Sorry cross posted :)

KnickerlessParsons · 23/04/2023 12:54

But I want teaching. I want ds1 or en taught. Else what's the point? You might as well do an online course at home for £2k!

People aren't taught an university though. They study. That's why they are called students. It's guided study, but it's not teaching.

School children are pupils because they are taught, though it's becoming fashionable to call children in school students too. Everyone seems to have to have an inflated job description these days.

Anyway - university students aren't taught.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 23/04/2023 13:02

I agree with your general point but don't think OU is as good value for money as it used to be.

Yes, definitely not as good value these days.

clary · 23/04/2023 13:24

People aren't taught a university though. They study. That's why they are called students. It's guided study, but it's not teaching.

YES this. It’s not about feeding them facts about Eng lit, it’s about inviting them to consider views and firm their own. Dd was able to suggest titles or themes for her essays if she wanted to go a different way. Brilliant. Imagine trying that in your Eng lit GCSE.

Rafaellarooboo · 23/04/2023 16:01

I One of my DC at Uni has real difficulty taking in information via recorded lectures and because of this has chosen to attend every lecture face to face. It wouldn't have worked for them if this hadn't been an option. I think studies may have been done on this issue?

MarchingFrogs · 24/04/2023 00:33

Rafaellarooboo · 23/04/2023 16:01

I One of my DC at Uni has real difficulty taking in information via recorded lectures and because of this has chosen to attend every lecture face to face. It wouldn't have worked for them if this hadn't been an option. I think studies may have been done on this issue?

Scroll back to height of pandemic days and I think you will find one academic posting very forcefully that studies show that in person lectures just are not the way to.do it, in terms of modern pedagogical thinking

But yes, Id be with your DC all the way - much as I enjoy ad hoc online lectures just for interest, if there's something on and it's either the only presentation, or at a time / venue which I could not get to in person anyway, but I seriously can't imagine sustaining interest remotely for a whole course on which I was going to.be examined on in some way.

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 29/04/2023 18:33

You’re referring to the “flipped” classroom where students do quite a bit of preparation, including watching a recorded lecture. Then the lecture is a chance to discuss the lecture and ask questions.

But this relies on the students doing the work in advance. And I’m sorry to say, but I find that at least a third of my lecture and seminar group does not do this preparation. More often than should happen, students will turn up to the seminar (small group discussion) without having read the text.

GCAcademic · 29/04/2023 18:41

All our lectures are in person. I have had complaints in the module feedback that the students don't like coming in for a 10am lecture (too early, apparently) and we should schedule it later in the day. Which is a logistical impossibility as space is at a premium. I find that there is a bit of a contradiction between students wanting value for money - involving have a lecturers physically in the room - and what they want when it comes to actually turning up.

Recorded in-person lectures are the worst of both worlds, they are much poorer quality than a properly pre-recorded lecture.

bguthb90 · 29/04/2023 19:14

10am is too early lol. Wonder how they'll cope when they get jobs

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 29/04/2023 22:58

I find that there is a bit of a contradiction between students wanting value for money - involving have a lecturers physically in the room - and what they want when it comes to actually turning up.

Indeed! And let’s add to that - what students tell their parents …

We returned to in-person as soon as it was legally allowed to do so. We don’t do hybrid. If they’re ill or otherwise decide to miss classes, they need to catch up in the usual way.

The student newspaper was in uproar against the requirement that they might have to get dressed and leave their rooms to go to lectures in the morning.

UsingChangeofName · 29/04/2023 23:21

Blamunge · 23/04/2023 09:48

I wouldn’t be happy at all. You’re paying for face to face teaching and use of facilities. If it’s going to be online I’d expect a price reduction.

The OP say that the seminars are in person though.

You aren't "paying for F2F teaching" at all.

You are paying for all the facilities the University provides - student services, libraries, all the marketing they have to do these days and the teams of support staff expected to be at every parent's beck and call, sports facilities, Graduate support, humdrum things like utilities bills for all the buildings, the graduations, and of course part of the lecturers salaries. The lecturers are still providing their expertise even where the lectures are on-line.

UsingChangeofName · 29/04/2023 23:21

There are plenty of students who prefer on-line lectures - and they aren't all introverts.

Shelefttheweb · 30/04/2023 00:35

Don’t students ask/get asked questions in lectures anymore? We certainly did as undergrads, though my course was quite small (only 15 of us in some lectures). That was the whole value of lectures over reading a book - the ability to interact. It was still a lecture, not a seminar. It was also not uncommon at the end of the lecture for the lecturer and students to pick up on a topic covered and continue the discussion. It was a good while ago though; pre-PowerPoint.