Is it "safe" to promote face-to-face contact with students in an area?
It has been suggested that students who live close to each other be encouraged to meet and discuss class work and possibly projects.
Do you consider this totally safe and what would you advise students who may want to try this
?
Jim:
This is an excellent question. Safety is a definite concern; especially for younger students. These are my thoughts on your inquiry, and this is based on my experience only. Students in a traditional classroom setting have a tendency to select other students with whom they are comfortable to form groups. For those who do not have this tendency, I would provide a set of guidelines with the hope that they will serve to facilitate group cohesion, ethical behaviour etc. Forming groups is not something I will strongly recommend; however, I will mention that the option is available. This becomes particularly important in a total online learning environment in which students may not know each other. Here the risk will be higher.
Satrohan
I have always done this "on ground." At least the students have met each other. Group meetings are most often on campus and involve more than two. My fear would be a very small, or just two, meet at someone's home or an unsafe location. I would just post some warnings for meetings from Online classes. There are a lot of nuts out there on the Internet.
Jim:
I share the same fear; and would strongly recommending meeting on campus.
Satrohan
Hello Mr. Mangal and Jim,
I share your concerns about promoting face-to-face contact with online students. Prior to recommending this to my online students, I would want to know if this is a practice that is sanctioned by the online school. If the school allowed this and gave its OK in its catalog or student code of conduct, I would mention that students who live mear each other may want to try this; however, I would recommend meeting in a very public place, not in anyone's home. I would look for these caveats in the school's policy, if such a policy exists.
Sara
Sara:
The recommendation for students who live in the same locale to form face-to-face study groups should apply to university students. Even to this student population, the meeting should consist of a group, and should be conducted within the university facilities. The Instructor may be invited to participate in these sessions.
Satrohan
Hello class,
I understand the concern you've all expressed about online students meeting face-to-face. To outright suggest they get together – for social or school related activities – might put the school at risk for a lawsuit should something negative occur. Most internet savvy individuals meet others on the internet daily - some becoming friends, dates, business partners, even spouses. However, not so positive relationships take place daily from these meetings, as well. I believe it would be best for school policy to contain a caution about fraternizing with classmates, along with a strong recommendation for common sense and personal responsibility.
Amanda
Amanda:
Your recommendations are well taken. Institutions of learning must take all precuations to avoid lawsuits.
Satrohan
This is an interesting question from a number of perspectives. From an institutional standpoint, I believe there is risk in recommending face-to-face meetings. This risk is real for ground schools as well. Ground schools recommend face-to-face meetings each time a class is scheduled. I would suggest recommending these face-to-face meetings occur on the school's campus. Another interesting perspective is the students' viewpoint. I imagine there will be a number of online students who want to meet face-to-face. I read this week that 1 in 8 marriages today started with an online meeting. The world is changing!
I agree 100% that student meetings should take place at the school. If you meet outside the school, it may be preceived wrongly by the student and put the instructor in a bad situation.
And I agree the world is changing--I know several married couples that first met online!
David
It is an interesting question. As a student I often would get invites to meet in "real time" rather than just the online environment. I dodged every one of them.
I agree with meeting in safe places and the school does sound like that. It is true that the connectivity of the internet has created some alliances that otherwise would not have been possible. I do like the idea of getting together to study - especially in tough classes.
John
Does anyone teach at an online institution that provides group video conferencing? This seems like it could be a compromise solution between strictly online meetings (which are often limited to text) and potentially risky meetings on the ground. Many computers today, especially laptops, come equipped with cameras and online video chat is becoming ubiquitous. The transition to realtime video conferencing looks like a logical next step.
My school does have the capabilities; however we have not set it up as a requirement for students yet. I agree that this is one way to increase student interaction. Thanks for your comment Martin.
I think there is an additional component in that for those students who are not located locally it provides an unfair advantage from a group project perspective and from a class and community concept it fosters an us versus them mentality. While safety is not as concerning because in our campuses this same issue is handled on a regular basis my primary concern would be for the message it sends to the other students in the class. I think it becomes even more problematic if we extend this concept to include the instructor as well.
Michael
I agree, you don't want to do criminal background checks on all of your students, but safety is an issue. I would prefer that the on-line learning community stay "on-line", unless it is mandatory for the particular institution. And too, what's the likelihood that you actually have students in the same vicinity?
Hmmm something to ponder...
Yes, there is the issue of students not being able to meet in person because of their location. There is also the reason why students signed up for online learning in the first place--to have flexible learning that can be conducted on their (students) schedule.
Thanks for sharing your ideas on the subject Dynlene!
Yes, I feel that if we recommend or endorse face to face meetings, we take responsibility for any negative outcomes. Also, this could potentially become a way for a number of people with ill intent to get in contact with victims.
Darcy
You are right Darcy, we need to always consider the safety of our students and we certainly don't want to put them in a position that they will be victims.
"Recommend" to me sounds like I'm telling them, "You should do this," rather than, "This is not against the rules if you decide on your own you'd like to meet." As an instructor at a ground school, I don't see myself as "recommending" face-to-face meetings, but it's just what's required to be a part of the class. I don't encourage or discourage them from meeting before or after classtime. I think we should basically stay out of it and definitely not encourage it. If they're interested in meeting for whatever reason, they will arrange it on their own.
I think some students appreciate the anonymity that taking an online class can provide, so they don't have to meet with the student. The other challenge is that the teacher and students might not even be in the same state, let alone city.
