ON TAKING A TELECOURSE

        The television media is considered by many educators to be the
ultimate couch potato machine exhibiting very little redeeming
educational qualities. Easily, they can conjure up the slacker stretched
torpidly on a couch, bag of potato chips in hand, and a fist shoved into
its mouth while its head tilts back in an attempt to avoid a mess but
inevitably fails to do so.  As particles of the hydrogenated vegetable
free fall everywhere, the salty hand withdraws to dust itself off
against any object within easy reach; the couch, clothes...   With this
image conjured up, and the idea of Mr. or Ms. Slacker picking up credits
following completion of the telecourse, well, it is no wonder the high
brow world of academia might find the concept of telecourses
contemptible.

        Telecourses involve the use of the television.  It is one of the
more common forms of media utilized by universities and colleges who
offer "distance education" programs, or what used to be known as
correspondence courses. Whether video taped or live, the medium delivers
the lesson plans of a particular course to a student who might otherwise
not be able to attend classes on campus for one reason or another.

        Unfortunately, there has always been the stigma that telecourses
or correspondence courses lack the breadth of learning provided in a
classroom environment and, therefore, is not as full an experience as
one might have with an instructor and peers present.  Henceforth, it
always seems graduates of distance learning never really achieve the
same level of respect befitting a campus graduate.

        The fact is, any type of distance learning is considered more
challenging because of the intense level of self-discipline and
commitment required to complete the courses.  College level telecourses
are considered the most challenging form of distance learning for
several reasons.  One, because of the lack of interaction with an
instructor, the process requires strict adherence to a discipline of
attentiveness and comprehensive note-taking on the part of the student
in order to comprehend the information imparted solely from the
telecourse itself.  Having taken these courses successfully in the past,
I personally cannot fathom how anyone can presume to be able to lie
down, eat and/or have a variety of distractions while simultaneously
attempting to assimilate the lessons being imparted.  Two, if the lesson
is not mastered, he or she would have to take the initiative to research
the matter and inquire the answers from other sources.  Lastly, one
might easily argue that flexibility in time gives the telecourse learner
an advantage over a campus student.  Notwithstanding, the telecourse
student is still required to complete the course within the prescribed
time which is no different from the time frame allotted for on-campus
students. Very few individuals are capable of the self-discipline
required to maintain a regular preset schedule to view the courses.
This is considered the most challenging aspect of a telecourse program
since it reflects the genuine commitment of the student not just to get
the job done, but to get it done well!

        A university offering college courses via correspondence,
television or some other media that are just as comprehensive and high
caliber as those offered on campus should grant credits in either case.
After all, telecourse students must also successfully complete the
course, submit all written projects assigned as well as pass a proctored
written examination.

        If the educators of a particular university or college believe
 otherwise, then perhaps the quality and strength of the telecourses
 offered should be questioned.  Are the telecourses too weak in its
 content?  Too easy that a telecourse student would have a distinct
 advantage over one who attends class regularly?  Are the telecourse
 exams too simple?  Is the form of marking too lenient?  Issues of
 quality control are what should be addressed when determining the
 strength and effectiveness of telecourse education. Effective
 telecourse programs attract good students committed to learning and
 eventually graduate.  Generating graduates who later in life become
 highly successful should be the ultimate basis for determining the
 success of distance education programs rather than judgements based
 solely on bias.

        Educators must remember not lose sight of the reason why
telecourses came to existence in the first place.  The concept was
realized not to provide slackers the opportunity to earn credit without
studying, but rather provide education to those who are either distance
or time constrained.  Those who decide to pursue distance education are
cognizant of the intense self-discipline required to achieve their goal,
and have made the conscious decision that notwithstanding their time
constraints, they wish to succeed. These students tend to be mature
individuals who are most likely ensconced in either the demands of
career or family or both and, undoubtedly, not slackers.  To eliminate
telecourse programs in its entirety, solely because of judgement based
on the "slacker stigma", will do a whole group of people who sincerely
wish to improve their own self worth through the pursuit of higher
education, a terrible injustice