In an experiment with 80 SJS students taking an engineering course, 91% of the SJS students who took the on-line course passed the final exam compared with the historical 53% pass rate for students using the traditional lecture method. The results were astonishing.
Albeit not surprising to this writer because on-line fits the needs of students to learn at any time of the day that fits their learning schedule. Also a student can stop the on-line teacher to go get something to eat and the student can demand an unlimited number of lecture repeats with a click. Classic lectures do not accommodate this flexibility. It is subject matter on demand at a time and place that each person's unique learning style requires.
It is another nail in the classic education coffin and making it even more difficult for reluctant teachers to get in the way of genuine progress. According to my research, chalk was considered a teaching tool in 1862 and not much as changed since then. Now, the writing is on the educational chalkboard.
The on-line course was developed by professors at SJS using what is referred to as the edX platform jointly developed by Harvard and MIT.
SJS plans to test this method in other disciplines including the humanities, business and science. I do not have the url of the full article handy, but check out silicon valley.com
These are national game-changing educational initiatives the federal government should support.
Stay tuned.
seems to work for me
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