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A repost from alt.uu.future due to propagation problems:

From: adamsr@netcom.com (Rick Adams)
Subject: A non-traditional approach to education.
Date: 29 Jun 92 16:25:32 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)


        I've read a number of messages in which the concepts 
of class structure and testing have been raised. Scheduling, 
rigid academic approaches, and traditional education seem to 
be the only real concept being discussed - perhaps because 
most Usenet participants have experienced only those 
approaches to education.
 
        Traditional approaches aren't necessary! Not only do 
they adhere to a far more rigid and antiquarian methodology 
than is required, the very structure of Usenet makes them 
undesirable. People join newsgroups 365 days a year, they 
"discover" new ones every time they run their newsreader or 
browse through their .newsrc file.  How can such individuals 
possibly become part of a _traditional_, class-based, approach?
 
        As, possibly, the only individual participating in 
this newsgroup who has experienced _both_ traditional and 
non-traditional educational approaches, I'm in a rather unique 
position to view such an experiment.  Traditionally, I 
attended both a Community College and a major University for 
several years.  Non-traditionally, I received my BA at Vermont College 
of Norwich University, and am currently working on my MA in the same
manner (Vermont College has one of the first non-traditional programs
in the US). Of the two, the non-traditional (low residency) approach 
was unquestionably the most challenging, the most academically and
intellectually stimulating, and the most ideally suited to an 
on-line environment.
 
        In the Vermont College model (the Goddard College 
model, actually, since they originated it), a student does NOT 
attend classes, read standard textbooks, or take tests. 
Instead, the students attend a 9 day intensive residency each 
(six month) semester, during which they work closely with a 
faculty advisor of their choice to set up a study plan for the 
next six month. At a minimum, during that period the student 
must:
        1.      Read at least 20 college level books (from a
                bibliography approved by the advisor), 
                extensively annotating them (20 is the minimum,
                more is the general rule).
 
        2.      Write a minumum of 40 pages of finished college
                level papers.
 
        3.      Maintain an ongoing and serious dialogue with 
                the advisor which demonstrates a successful
                academic growth.
 
        4.      Present the results of the study at the next 
                residency to the group of 4-6 other students
                working with the same advisor.
 
        5.      Devote a _minimum_ of 20 hours per week to 
                the study.
 
        (Final, culminating, studies in the Senior year are a 
"bit" more difficult - mine, for example, ran 130 pages, 50 
books, and 15 finished pieces of original art illustrative of 
the subject I was studying - Jungian psychology).
 
        Each semesters work is granted 15 credits upon 
completion (and worth more like 25!!!). Transcripts are 
non-graded and consist of evaluations by both the advisor and 
the student of the work completed (which may be converted to a 
grade, if necessary for admission to grad school).
 
        How successful is this approach?  Over 80% of the VC 
graduates who apply for graduate studies are admitted to their 
FIRST CHOICE graduate school - including Harvard, Yale, 
Stanford, etc. The instructors have backgrounds teaching at 
MIT, Harvard, etc. It short, it works for both the students 
and the instructors - who are not locked into teaching the 
same material semester after semester, but can deal with new, 
original, ideas each study (with each student) instead.
 
        How does it apply here?
 
        Unlike a traditional approach, this would allow 
interested instructors to interact in a unique fashion with 
their students. By limiting each group to 4-6 people, it would 
allow an instructor to commit a reasonable amount of time to 
the project w/o being "locked" into a rigid schedule, yet 
would allow each learner far more direct access to the 
instructor themself. Since the group size would be low (groups 
are VERY beneficial in terms of generating ideas for a "study" 
which, while focusing on a single topic MUST simultaneously - 
over the course of an academic enrollment - fulfill ALL 
academic criteria for graduation such as coverage of all major 
areas of study, english requirements, etc. in order to satisfy 
accrediting agencies or University requirements), intimate 
communciations can take place - both in the newsgroup and via 
email among the members. Because the subject areas are so 
varied, it would be easier to find interested instructors 
(perhaps instructors could post "subject of interest" messages,
and interested students could respond to them until a group 
was formed, etc.). Finally, because of the nature of the 
approach, both students AND instructors could "enroll" at any 
time, rather than only at structured times.  Papers could be 
shared among the group via email, and extracts from the papers 
could be posted by the instructors to keep the newsgroup 
informed of the progress of the studies, as well as providing 
real education in those areas being studied for the other 
readers who were members of other groups, or had not as yet 
joined a group.  Each member of a group could present a final 
paper in the newsgroup at the conclusion of a study, 
demonstrating what they had learned, in the same manner that a 
student at VC presents to the group.  If/when the newsgroup 
were supported by a University (try Thomas Edison in NJ), the 
culminating presentation (which at VC is a major presentation 
attended by the entire student body of the particular "group" 
[there are 4 groups which start at different times of year]
the presenter is enrolled in) could be archived (at VC the 
final product is microfliched and kept in the library) and 
available to interested students to read in the future.
 
        These are a few thoughts on the matter.  If they sound 
interesting, I would be glad to work with anyone else who has 
an interest in setting up such a system - and may be able to 
encourage one of the faculty members at VC to provide some 
input into the process as well.

	Peace,

-- 
       73 de KE8HH   * * *   Rick Adams   * * *   (517)563-2531
       adamsr@ais.org / rick.adams on GEnie \ adamsr@netcom.com
       rick.adams@um.cc.umich.edu | bl472@cleveland.freenet.edu
       * * * Living proof that a mind is a terrible thing * * *