November 12, 2008
Community-College System Offers Distance Education by Cellphone
Universities in Japan and Canada unveiled courses by cellphone last year, and now, in the midst of National Distance Learning Week, the United States has, too.
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System announced yesterday the creation of LCTCSOnline, a new program built in collaboration with AT&T and Pearson Custom Solutions, a branch of the publishing and education company.
Beginning in January, students can register on a single Web site for online courses offered — at $63 per credit hour — by any community college in Louisiana. And they’ll be able to complete their coursework on desktops, laptops, or mobile phones.
“The top barriers for students in obtaining their degrees are geographic access, cost of higher education, and scheduling conflicts,” said Joe D. May, the college system’s president, in a written statement. “We’re excited to be able to bring a greater level of access to potential students.”
Louisiana ranks last among the 50 states in the percentage of adults with associate’s degrees, according to the college system, which hopes to solve workforce shortages by enrolling nearly three times as many students as it does now.
“This initiative embodies the type of thinking we need,” Sally Clausen, Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education, said in a written statement.
A $500,000 grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents financed the program, which the college system developed in nine months with AT&T and Pearson, The Town Talk, a local newspaper, reported. —Sara Lipka
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Maybe this is the answer for Redwoods.
Julie
— mviera@citrus.edu, ahoward@riohondo.edu Nov 12, 05:02 PM #
Coastline College in Fountain Valley, California has been offering classes on PDA’s and other portable devices for 5 years.
— Mark Nov 12, 05:07 PM #
Not sure what Julie means here: “Maybe this is the answer for Redwoods”?
— Garyz Nov 12, 11:36 PM #
The physical education.
The more I study the more I know.
The more I know the more ideas I have.
The more ideas I have the more they abstract.
The more they abstract the less I know the truth.
=====.
Some years ago I told with young physicist (!!!).
He said very confidently: ” You cannot be physicist (!) if you cannot understand the beauty of Minkowski
mathematics.(!!!)
======.
It seems that he is right, because physicists must know
mathematics very well. The problem is that nobody
knows what is real physical meaning of “ 4-D negative space continuum.” in the Nature. SRT is correct theory but Minkowski space continuum is abstract. And together
they are paradoxical. More than 100 years we live with this paradox. Nobody confuses.
==========.
During our conversation I understand that this young physicist is strong and clever man and he want to reach success. And I think he will do it. So, in the future he will create new D/ M-spaces or new symmetries or discover new particles. And one day he will be a professor and will teach new generation ( your son or your daughter) in order that they also have possibility to create new D/ M-spaces or new symmetries or discover new particles. But if in the beginning the abstract ideas were put into the fundament of physics then ……..
we can create new and new theories for 1000 years but
the result will be the same – paradoxical.
Our small Orwell’s world.
=============…
Best wishes.
Israel Sadovnik. / Socratus.
==========.
http://www.socratus.com
http://www.wbabin.net
http://www.wbabin.net/comments/sadovnik.htm
http://www.wbabin.net/physics/sadovnik.pdf
— socratus Nov 13, 09:14 AM #
And you have to TM your 20 page essay via 10 digit keypad.
— John A. Nov 13, 09:46 AM #
90% of this comment thread is evidence of why Chronicle needs to start moderating these comments. Spam and random non-sequitur. THIS is the best of academia?
— Kim Wells Nov 13, 10:09 AM #
No, the top barriers are not geographic access, cost of education, and scheduling conflicts. Based on twenty years of experience teaching at a community colleges, I’d say the top barriers are poor academic skills (reading, writing, basic math) and an unwillingness or inability to put in the time required for academic success.
To be honest, it’s difficult for me to believe that capable students willing to put in the required effort cannot get a college education in this country. In my state, there is a community college within 25-30 miles of almost anybody, and financial aid is readily available for those who cannot afford the low tuition. I know there are some cases where it’s a challenge, but I think we have basically licked 90% of the accessibility and affordability problems.
— Fred Nov 13, 12:52 PM #
Bravo, Fred! I concur.
— Tom Nov 13, 01:00 PM #
Lack of motivation [laziness] seems to be the problem. Our kids are too comfortable to have to work hard for anything. Unlike those of us who are 50+, who walked 10 miles to school, up hill both ways…
— KB Nov 13, 05:14 PM #
and in the snow!
— Kyle David Nov 13, 05:51 PM #
and rain! With the raving wolves.
— bob Nov 14, 04:31 PM #
Amen, brother Fred.
— Steven Nov 18, 05:47 AM #
I also agree. Our culture has become the little girl on Willy Wonka, “I WANT IT NOW!”.
Maybe Technology should come up with a montior and keyboard that you could fold up and put in your pocket…AND attach it to your cell phone.
— DB Nov 18, 08:07 AM #
I believe that was Veruca…
— HYA Nov 18, 11:31 AM #
I believe that was Veruca… And isn’t there a fold up keyboard that attaches to the cell phone?
— HYA Nov 18, 11:33 AM #
Fred: I, too, concur completely. I’m a military educational services officer and can’t get over how badly my customers write and how poor their basic math knowledge is.
By the way, if you haven’t already done so, you MUST read Charles Murray’s “Real Education”.
— andrewgw Nov 18, 05:29 PM #
As a licensed educator and online college student, I find I cannot concur with these comments. It’s not laziness for the most part. I do believe geography plays a part as well. I’m also a military spouse so taking my degree online keeps me portable. It has also saved on fuel costs. Besides, having been a student in face-to-face and distance education environments, I find that online education is much more demanding than any of my classroom-based courses in the past.
— Kerrie Nov 21, 11:12 PM #
The potential here is great but what is missing is no mention of the DEVICE. Most of these students do not have the type of phone that can view any of this content and that is where this initiative will fall short unfortunately. A flip phone can’t be used to interact with this content and (many) people will not go out and buy an iphone simply for this purpose. A Bberry isn’t up to the challenge. It will be interesting to follow this initiative and see how it plays out. I hope they are tracking results to see if this will ultimately have been worth while. Best of luck with this program!
— js Dec 19, 08:06 AM #