by Eric Stoller, Inside Higher Ed
Online learning is different. It’s not face-to-face. It’s digital-to-digital. People and personalities interacting via pixels and text. And, we’re not sure what to make of it. A lot of people seem quite keen on projecting their inner bias against online learning simply as a reflection of the fact that it’s not “what they did” or “how they learned.” Well, welcome to 2016 and the reality of the higher education sector. Online learning is here and it benefits a lot of people. These are committed individuals who are striving to learn more, to earn a credential, and to increase their career prospects. It’s true that online learners will not have the same types of interactions as their on-campus peers. However, we need to stop thinking about what’s “missing” or “lacking” and focus on what we can do to increase connection and build community via digital channels.
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