Online Classes are More Work, But Work Results in Learning

A recent 93-page report on online education, conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education concludes: “On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”  You can read a report about this from the New York Times.

I've taught a few online classes myself with mixed results.  My finding is that online classes require much more structure from the instructor and are quite a bit harder to teach well.  But from the teacher's perspective, the first time through it is much harder than subsequent semesters because much of the material may be re-used.  From the student's perspective, it is also more work.  You won't be spoon feed the material and proded along as much as in a face to face class.

In a summer online class (Python Network Programming) that I've taught twice, I find that only the most dedicated students can get through the material in the summer.  I have had to allow many incompletes with the hope of finishing it up during the fall semester.  Still quite a few end-up with a failing grade in December.   It just take self discipline and determination to complete an online class.

But I would have to say that the reported study is probably accurate for those with the determination to get through it.  If one decides to do the work, which is to read the book, read my study guide, watch my screencasts videos and do the programming assignments and, of course, the exams.  Then they will have learned quite a bit about Python Network Programming -- probably more than someone in a similar face to face class.  The bottom line is that to learn a subject well always requires work.

Ubuntu Got it Right with Sudo

UPDATE: 

After posting this note, I found the following tip in another blog that had the exact fix I needed  to play ShowMeDo flv videos within Firefox:
http://freakingtips.com/2009/07/26/play-flv-video-ubuntu-firefox/

I was also able to get vlc to play video files from the desktop by adjusting its configuration.  I just told it send output to X11.  I'm not sure where the default output was going to before.  So at this point, I'm not aware of anything that is not working as desired with Ubuntu on my laptop.

I was previously wrong about Ubuntu, it is a very nice distribution.

I've been using some version of Red Hat Linux since about 1996, but decided to give the Ubuntu distribution a try on my Laptop.  The compelling thing to me about Ubuntu was that I kept seeing information on the web about how to do various things in Ubuntu.  Ubuntu seems to make it easier for others to contribute and thus has surpassed Red Hat in terms of number of packages and available information.  One company can never keep up with thousand of individuals that are all eager to contribute.

One issue that previously gave me reservations about Ubuntu was the whole thing with disabling the root account in favor of extensive use of sudo.  I have nothing against sudo, but it seemed like it might be a pain to do more extensive administrative work.  In reading Ubuntu's documentation about sudo, I discovered that sudo -i gives one a root shell, so that's not so bad.  The kicker that convinced me that someone had a good idea came while using the web browser.  As always with a new system, various add-ons needed to be installed.  Under Red Hat, the best I could do as a non-privileged user was to save an rpm file and then su to root to install it.  With Ubuntu, sudo prompts you for your password, and the add-on gets installed right then -- done.

So far, thumbs up to Ubuntu.  The only issue I'm having is that I can't play most video files -- but I'm sure in time that I'll resolve that.

Never Mind

My Background Music thing didn't work as expected.   I had the audio sounding as I want it in Audacity, but after importing the audio to Camtasia Studio, producing an avi video file, then uploading it to ShowMeDo where it was converted to an Adobe Flash flv file, the background music seemed to be mostly filtered out.

For educational videos, I don't think background music is needed.  Students can find their own background music if they want to.  My music was probably too soft for their tastes anyway.

Yes or No on the Background Music?

I want your opinions.  I'm experimenting with the art of how to make screencasts.  So in this video, I added some background music.

Get the Flash Player to see this movie.

Here is a link to the original video, with no background music.

The Structure of Unix Commands


Should I keep or can the music?  Or just do it differently.  The music is sort of relaxing piano and violin.  It slowly fades out and then another, similar, song slowly fades in at the end.  I wanted relaxing music, to ease the stress of learning Unix.