Product Description
This is Gene Maeroff’s “report from the front” on the short history and status of online learning in the United States and around the world. Maeroff is a reporter who takes you to the schools from Penn State’s World Campus to the Florida Virtual School to the newly emerging online learning initiatives in Afghanistan. His journey ultimately provides a snapshot of the way in which technology is changing the minds of people with regard to the nature of higher education… More >>
A Classroom of One: How Online Learning Is Changing our Schools and Colleges
Tags: Afghanistan, Changing, Classroom, colleges, florida virtual school, higher education, initiatives, journey, learning, online, penn state, regard, schools, snapshot, United States
#1 by B. Tuberville on February 5, 2010 - 10:08 pm
This is a good book to read on the partial history of online learning. Maeroff is predicting that in the coming years ”online courses will edge closer to the mainstream … so that eventually few distinctions will be made between courses taken online, courses taken in the classroom, and courses that incorporate attributes of both settings” (xii-xii). But Maeroff should have added URL’s for the reader to easily assess.
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by P. Mooney on February 6, 2010 - 12:36 am
I believe that Mr. Maeroff gets our wheels to turning and opens up the discussion on online learning as a real plus for America. He gives, in his opinion, the ups and downs according to educational teachers and universities about how they feel somewhat threatened as the “new age” love online classes vs. the classroom. Mr. Maeroff states, “Online courses are here to stay. They are revolutionary because they represent a fundamentally different delivery system that breaks the monopoly of the classroom, forcing an examination of habits of teaching and learning that for too long have defied scrutiny. Online learning will not banish the many problems of teaching and learning, but it offers one more tool for tying to deal with them.” I as an online student totally agree with him.
Rating: 4 / 5
#3 by Kimberly Brown on February 6, 2010 - 3:26 am
This textbook is a wonderful resource for educators as well as online students. Maeroff chronicles the history of online education and its impact on higher education as well as grades k-12. I found it informative and useful for me, both as a student and instructor.
Maeroff provides detail on the progression of online learning. Online students must be motivated and disciplined but as he states not everyone has equal opportunity to persue an online education due to economic factors. Maeroff demonstrates how online learning can benefit the non-traditional student, rural communities, and disabled students. He also points out how faculty have to be trained to adapt to the new delivery system of instruction and he also explores the global impact of sharing education.
It is an in-depth read, but overall a thorough examination of online learning.
Rating: 4 / 5
#4 by Michael P. Hawkins on February 6, 2010 - 4:35 am
Maeroff provides a very insightful, detailed and unbiased perspective on the advancement of online education. He goes to great lengths to provide a thorough explanation of the historical development of online education. In addition to the history he delivers to the reader honest comparisons of traditional “brick and mortar” education, previous forms of distance education and online education.
His book does not just attack the idea of online education in higher education, but to my surprise discusses the advancement of online education in elementary and secondary levels as well. As a current online student, I found it very interesting to observe how accurate many of his projections from the 2002 book have been. I have a much greater understanding of the depth of online education and the impact it is having in the education industry. Reading “A Classroom of One” has given me an appreciation of the history and the intricacies that make this opportunity possible.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by M. Davis on February 6, 2010 - 6:51 am
I was assigned this book by Gene Maeroff’s by a professor. This is not a book I would have read if it was not for a grade this book is said to be a report from the front lines on the status of online learning in the United States and around the world. Maeroff examines what is facing online education and how online classes will affect education in the world. It examines what problems face educators, colleges and students young and old. One part of the book I found very interesting and I believe all students should consider before taking online classes is the support during the class, discipline you need to continue and the extra work that online class work has compared to taking a class “in class”. This book has gave me a new way of thinking about online class and also new resources to help me over come obstacles while taking my online classes.
I believe this book would be a good book for Older students taking an online class or for parents that are helping children. I also believe this is another book on Pros and cons. Over all I enjoyed the book as a self help tool and new ways of thinking.
This book is correct in one way and it really made me think, not all people should take an online class and not all classes should be done online some classes need extra support and more on hands direction
Rating: 3 / 5