It’s 30 years since I graduated with my primary degree, a BA in European Studies specialising in Social Research. Lectures back then were classroom based with student / lecturer interaction based on the size of the class. Larger classes in theatres relied on the lecturer presenting his/her knowledge with the aid of postcards and acetate slides often handwritten but if we were lucky they would be printed and therefore easier to take notes on our A4 pads!
I typically had A4 pads for notes taken in class, and a separate pad for deciphering my dreadful handwriting and rewriting the notes for subsequent study and exam prep. As I recall, highlighters became popular in the 1980’s so these became invaluable for filtering handwritten notes further as exam time approached.
Interestingly, in the MSc class I teach these days, I see students taking notes and while I’m tempted to ask why since I share pretty much all the material I go through with them, it’s heartening to see students still do this even if they all end up in the recycle bin after class!
Fast forward to 2001. By this time I had spent two years studying at evening class for a certification as an Accounting Technician, two evenings a week supplemented by pre-exam weekend classes and paper-based exams, essentially no change from my 1980’s college experience.
2001 however, introduced me to a new concept – distance learning – for the award of a Master’s degree in Project Management. No lectures, self-study with the aid of a binder of paper material for each subject assessed by assignments posted to the tutor by the agreed due date, and paper based exams. The distance element came about due to the need to convene the regional classes for each cohort together one Saturday morning each month for what essentially was a tutorial on materials covered. It was a great opportunity to meet classmates with whom communication was otherwise largely over email. Instant messaging, video was still to come…. and telephone was expensive. Best of all, however, was the weekend at the start of the year when the whole cohort and staff would get together for team building activities to supplement the scheduled tutorials. Memories of building rafts that subsequently fell apart upon launch and lifting colleagues through obstacle courses were indeed a great foundation for virtual team working, even though we only were altogether for these two weekends and our graduation day.
Still quite a way from online learning and digital education.
To be continued next time…
Sandra Flynn 