Day 4: Friend Me, Sensei?

Wish 4: Live classes

This is about education. It might bore you. Then again, it might not.

A few years ago, I had a teleconference with a university dean and two instructors who were interviewing candidates to spearhead a "Web 2.0" online course delivery.

"What do you think about wikis?" they asked. I said they were good for collaboration and peer discussion, but not for reference. (Simply said, wikis can be used to put together a group paper, but that paper could not be a reliable source for another paper.)

They didn't like that answer. Someone had convinced this bunch that the future of education was online and using social tools. However, nobody told them how to do it.

"How about running a Web 2.0 class?" They continued to ask. "If you mean online classes on tools like Blackboard or WebCT, I've done those." "No," the dean clarified, "I meant on social media. How would you run one?"

That would be an exciting idea. Young people already know how to use social media. They didn't have to learn how to use online learning programs.

I'm all for connecting with friends on social media. But running a class? I paused and replied, "If the tool creates boundaries, such as those in a classroom, then...yes. Otherwise, it is a privacy issue."

Can you just imagine "friending" your instructor and classmates on Facebook? Or writing an exam on Twitter? What would your social network think about when you post status updates related to your class? When the class is over, do you "unfriend" your teacher and classmates?

After a few more questions, I realized they weren't trying to find out if I could do it. They wanted to pick my brain. I did not get that job. And they got valuable ideas for free.

A classroom, physical or online, is a sacred thing. It provides a safe, private space for the students and learning facilitator. It should not be open to the rest of the world. That is why today, only the secure specialized sites are used for education on the Internet. Social media isn't.

Progressive universities are going online to teach courses. These are great for those who have time constraints, such as parents and workers. They also allow persons with mobility problems to meet in an online classroom. But some universities are pushing this too far in an effort to gain market share. Online learning is cheaper to deliver and lucrative.

My wish today is to keep classrooms secure and sacred. I would even go as far as to say - deliver more of the face-to-face classrooms again. Nothing beats the live social interaction.