I don't like how most of my schoolwork is online

[skim milk]

I hate being on the computer, i get distracted and i become very inactive


All my lectures, viewing notes, studying for a exam with a review sheet, online assignments, typing up lab reports, etc.
majority of my schoolwork is online and I don't like it. I spend most days sitting with a computer screen on my face
Just being on the computer in general, i waste so much time. I kind of wish some of these classes didn't base on online/computer work so much.

:/

 

[amdskip]

http://forums.anandtech.com/logout.cfm

 

[minendo]

Printers exist for a reason.

 

[dullard]

I agree 100%. Professors use it to be lazy. Instead of printing out 30 packets of 200 pages for each student, the professor instead posts it online 10 minutes before class and expects the students to bring it in with them. With the wide proliferation of ink-jet printers that is a 200*$0.10 = $20 cost per student when they could get the same thing in the bookstore for $10 (the typical price my univeristy bookstore charges for professor packets).

I cannot count the number of times I was late for class waiting for the university printers to print required information that the professor posted too late. This isn't a good thing for anyone.

 

[skim milk]

Originally posted by: minendo
Printers exist for a reason.

ink is way too expensive
I'm cheap when it comes to things like that

I should've never bought that cheap a$$ printer where i have to replace the ink cartridge every time after i print about 50 pages or so.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: dullard
I agree 100%. Professors use it to be lazy. Instead of printing out 30 packets of 200 pages for each student, the professor instead posts it online 10 minutes before class and expects the students to bring it in with them. With the wide proliferation of ink-jet printers that is a 200*$0.10 = $20 cost per student when they could get the same thing in the bookstore for $10 (the typical price my univeristy bookstore charges for professor packets).

I cannot count the number of times I was late for class waiting for the university printers to print required information that the professor posted too late. This isn't a good thing for anyone.

They have budgets to deal with.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: minendo
They have budgets to deal with.

A) it costs nothing for the professor to have a packet placed in the bookstore.
B) All of students I know go to their department and print it on university printers anyways - meaning it costs the department more than it would just to use a cheap copier.
C) It costs the department a fortune to train the 60+ year old professors how to post them online.

As I see it, it is just an excuse for the professors to wait until the last minute instead of preparing their classes ahead of time.

 

[ggavinmoss]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: minendo
They have budgets to deal with.

A) it costs nothing for the professor to have a packet placed in the bookstore.
B) All of students I know go to their department and print it on university printers anyways - meaning it costs the department more than it would just to use a cheap copier.
C) It costs the department a fortune to train the 60+ year old professors how to post them online.

As I see it, it is just an excuse for the professors to wait until the last minute instead of preparing their classes ahead of time.

(a) Nothing? It's free to have something printed and bound and taking time to get permission to reprint copyrighted material?
(b) That's by no means a universal policy.
(c) Yeah, old professors should be loaded onto trains and moved into work camps.

-geoff

 

[dullard]

Geoff: Yes that is correct. If the students need a 200 page packet on the first day of class, it costs nothing for the professor to walk it to the printing office and have them print and sell it in the bookstore. The student pays for it if he/she wants to (otherwise they can still get it online). (Or are going to argue silly things like the professor's shoes get more worn out and thus it costs a fraction of a penny, I'll give you that).

No it isn't a universal policy, but you know it happens all the time. Instead of using the 1 cent copier, the department pays for 10 cent prints. So even if 10% of the students do it, the department is out of money.

I didn't say the older professors should be retired. I'm just saying I've seen them require 10-20 hours each semester of tech support to relearn how to post the same thing they posted last year.

How much does it cost a university to lease the online programs anyways? I have no idea. This is what my university buys each year. If it is a per class charge, then it is a big waste of money in many cases. If it is an unlimited classes charge per year, then it doesn't matter if it is used. I just don't know how the pricing goes.

A combination of online and printed is far better than just online which you suggest. You haven't addressed my main issue: posting the required information 10 minutes before class starts. What the heck are we supposed to do if we are busy before class?

 

[amdskip]

My school is using blackboard also, its not bad. What I really hated was my econ class that required you to purchase a $20 package of notes that were not available online.

 

[LordJezo]

Sucks for you.

Adapt to the future or get left behind.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: minendo
They have budgets to deal with.

A) it costs nothing for the professor to have a packet placed in the bookstore.
B) All of students I know go to their department and print it on university printers anyways - meaning it costs the department more than it would just to use a cheap copier.
C) It costs the department a fortune to train the 60+ year old professors how to post them online.

As I see it, it is just an excuse for the professors to wait until the last minute instead of preparing their classes ahead of time.

A) Not all universities work this way or have this setup.
B) Many universities have per page charges for printing.
C) Clerks/TAs

 

[dullard]

Minendo: are you purposely avoiding my 10 minutes before class posting question?

Having an option where the students can buy a printout is better than online only. Plain and simple. I'm not saying you cannot use online, but don't FORCE the online part on the students. Forced online classwork gets abused.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: dullard
Minendo: are you purposely avoiding my 10 minutes before class posting question?

Having an option where the students can buy a printout is better than online only. Plain and simple. I'm not saying you cannot use online, but don't FORCE the online part on the students. Forced online classwork gets abused.

Not avoiding it. Am in the middle of eating lunch. Sure it can be a problem, but that is the professors lack of preparing. It is something I have yet to encounter as every professor I have had has always made the materials available at least 1 week in advance, if not the entire semester in advance. In my situation, not having the notes before class was definitely not the professors fault.

As for buying the notes, I am against it. I already spend enough money for my education there is absolutely no reason why I should have to layout another $5+ per class.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: minendo
As for buying the notes, I am against it. I already spend enough money for my education there is absolutely no reason why I should have to layout another $5+ per class.

But then your the one arguing to print it out at home... Where do you get your free printing supplies?

The fact is you can always read it online if your professor also lets you get a printout. But the printout forces them to prepare ahead of time. The reverse isn't true. And sadly can be abused.

Online classwork also tends to distract from the real learning. Take my wife's educaiton for example. She was a German education major (to be a high school German teacher). She had ~6 education classes her last two years. Five of them thought it would be a great idea to spend a month teaching the students to make a web page and put an online resume up. So my wife has 5 web pages and 5 resumes. Honestly, that isn't a good use of her time. She could have instead been taught to be a better teacher, but no, it is cool to do everything online now and so that must be used in every class... My point here is that online is not needed for every single class, and it is just a distraction from the real classwork that should be going on.

Final issue I have with online classwork: professors have the tendancy to add more to the homework. They assign homework during class and have it due usually within one week. About 6 days later the professor thinks more about the pending homework and decides to make a quick post having the students change a few things. Boy that can be frustrating if you have a full schedule. Staying up all night to do this last minute work. I need time to plan things - online gives the professor an excuse to give the students no time at all. With normal classes you have a minimum of 2 days between classes to do the work. With online that 2 day period is gone.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: minendo
As for buying the notes, I am against it. I already spend enough money for my education there is absolutely no reason why I should have to layout another $5+ per class.

But then your the one arguing to print it out at home... Where do you get your printing supplies?

The fact is you can always read it online if your professor also lets you get a printout. But the printout forces them to prepare ahead of time. The reverse isn't true. And sadly can be abused.

Personally, I printed all items out on campus. Purdue is one of the schools that does not have print quotas for the time being.

 

[Justin218]

online homework is the worst, professor can just pile it on, as they don't have to really grade it.

 

[Pepsi90919]

we use blackboard...