Overview of the Talk

I have thought about this concept for a while -- the fact that the computer exaggerates everyone's strengths and weaknesses. This was first pointed out to me by Louisa Birch from Meadowbrook School who was part of the first Summercore class in June 1982. Louisa was a kindergarten teacher who started using Logo and the turtle robot in 1980 and 1981. She would integrate lessons in computer programming into stories and other activities; for example she would have the kids program the turtle dressed as Pooh Bear to move through the forest they built on their Kindergarten floor while reading Winnie the Pooh stories.

In any case, Louisa remarked to me that summer that "in her twenty plus years of teaching, there was nothing that revealed the student's personalities as well as watching them interact on the computer." Louisa said that kids strengths, weaknesses -- interpersonal and intrapersonal -- were magnified, exposed and revealed when working on the computer in a way beyond virtually every other pedagogical activity in her experience.

And so it is with distance learning, I do believe. Although Dick Baker (former headmaster of Noble and Greenough School) charged me with initiating this distance learning course here so that we would "know the enemy" facing us in education over the next twenty years, my reaction over the past two months has been quite the opposite. Under the umbrella of "computer as microscope," I have come to believe that distance learning potentially creates a BETTER learning experience than face to face teaching. Let me explain!

Each learner in a distance learning situation ("DL" for short from now on) must become more of a proactive learner or else he/she will simply not survive in the course. Students can at times be extremely passive with their education, going through the motions of attending classes and doing the necessary homework without really coming to terms with absorbing the material. DL environments by definition force the student to evaluate his/her learning style and become more proactive. No teacher is there at the front the class engaging in the repetition that sometimes is necessary to reinforce the concepts for passive listeners and passive learners. Communication with the teacher and classmates is much more limited and therefore much more valued. Learning to read well, absorb concepts, ask relevant questions and practice are now part of the learning environment in a heightened way. Yes, these are thematic elements of the computer as microscope!

But what about the relationships that are such a crucial part of teaching? Dick Baker -- who coincidentally was in the same Summercore class of 1982 as Louis Birch -- used to say to the Nobles faculty that "relationships are the essence of teaching." What about the relationships? Well, as I reflect on the previous two months of e-mail and occasional phone calls with the students in this class, I do not think I am being hyperbolic in saying that I believe the DL relationships in this C++ course are deeper and more interesting that the majority of teacher-student relationships in traditional environments. I value tremendously knowing that one student has a son who builds mac-aquariums, two of the students have been working through difficult high school sports injuries and that one student is getting a new palm pilot for Christmas. The 2-3 minutes on the phone in which I speak to each student are valued in ways far beyond the brief encounters in traditional face-to-face (F2F from now on) environments. The fact that these students are from five different states and are all coming along for the C++ ride creates more of a sense of teamwork than usually is encountered in F2F environments. Once again, the computer magnifies!

Without question, DL takes MORE TIME than F2F teaching. Ellie Newman and I have spent incredible amounts of time in trying to make this DL class work. But then again, most of us in the computer world know the mantra that "computers never save time .. virtually everything we do with computers has tradeoffs of increasing the quality rather than saving time." This DL observation was first made to me by Ed Siegfried back in 1998 who was teaching a C++ course from Milton Academy to our students -- including Ellie and me -- on video conferencing. Ed remarked to us that he needed to prep a full week ahead of time for each upcoming VC class and that the time demands in teaching a DL class were perhaps twice as much as a standard class.

Some Comments and Evaluations by Participants

• Let me begin by introducing myself. I am Lynn Byank, Director of Technology at Bryn Mawr School, a K-12 independent girls school in Baltimore, Maryland. This is my sixteenth year at Bryn Mawr.
• I first heard about the C++ on-line programming course last spring through an e-mail that was sent to the ISED list serve. I immediately sent a reply of interest for two reasons. Bryn Mawr teaches an elective year course, AP C++, but we do not offer an Intro to Programming course. I feel that the lack of such a course is a weakness in the computer science department and I was curious to learn about such an offering. Additionally, I wanted the first hand experience of taking an on-line course.
• I am thoroughly enjoying the on-line C++ course; it has met all my expectations and I am truly enjoying being a student again, although sometimes it is a very humbling experience. My only regret is that I cannot devote more time to learning C++. I am learning the code, but most importantly I feel connected to my teachers and classmates. Even though the classroom is without walls, it is a top priority of Steve's to have a personal touch in the course. He does this with phone calls, e-mails, streaming video, and chat sessions. In addition, both Steve and Ellie are always available to answer our questions or walk us through those programming exercises which can seem so intimidating to the novice programmer. However, all we ever hear is encouragement and praise. I believe that most on-line courses do not have the personal touch as does this C++ course. It is due to the tremendous energy, motivation, and determination of Steve and Ellie. Even though I haven't met him, I believe Steve is a very unique individual, a truly gifted teacher, and he is truly teaching an on-line course that should be used as a prototype for all distance learning experiences. I can only imagine how very difficult it is to get a pulse on your students when they are not within the traditional classroom, not to mention that some students are in high school and others are working full time at other schools, and in different time zones. It has been a challenge to find the right pace for this class. I think some classmates would like to forge ahead at a quicker pace while others need a little more explanation. Steve is very flexible and asks for our input; he also makes accommodations for our schedules and is more than willing to give extensions on projects. Sure I feel overwhelmed at times, but I would be feeling this way whether I took the C++ course or not. Just the pressure of daily work and keeping up with the challenge of technology at Bryn Mawr is enough to stress me out. However, all I need to do is ask Steve or Ellie for help or additional time. I feel supported in every way possible. At the suggestion of my classmates, Steve decided to hold class three times a week rather than every day. Certainly, he is listening to us and understands our needs.
• In my opinion the C++ textbook is very good. I find it readable with good explanations and sufficient examples of programming code. My only suggestion would be that the text have "answers" to some of the programming exercises in each chapter. However, to accommodate this request from one of my classmates, Steve and Ellie post the answers on Noblesnet for us to review. An excellent alternative!
• Because I am motivated and determined to learn C++, I am spending hours each week reading, understanding, and learning code. However, I miss learning with all my senses. Over the years I have discovered that I learn best when I use many different methods. Reading the textbook I do not hear the C++ vocabulary or hear how words such as "cout", "cin", iostream.h are pronounced. But Steve came to the rescue again with the streaming video PowerPoint presentations on the web. I can hear the important vocabulary, as well as the key areas of coding. Since I have a cable modem at home and a T1 Internet connection at Bryn Mawr, it is very easy for me to access the video and I can review it as often as I choose. In addition Steve, Ellie, and Andrew made an audiotape on Chapter four indicating important topics in the chapter. My needs as a learner are being met - I am reading, I am hearing, and I am doing.
• I haven't mentioned the personal feedback that Ellie gives us on our assignments and chapter tests. For each chapter we submit notes from our readings to our teammates and the C++ teachers. Because our teammates can only use the notes from one another and not personal notes on tests, I believe we all take extra steps in making our notes complete. Ellie gives us suggestions about what we did well and suggestions for improvement. The same holds true for individual programming assignments on each chapter and of course the chapter tests. The beginning chapter tests were easier than the most recent, because the content is becoming more difficult. I personally do not like multiple-choice questions but we have a combination of multiple choice and programming exercises. Certainly the tests are very fair and we have a reasonable time frame within which to take the test.
• At this point, I don't think it is difficult for you to know that I am REALLY enjoying this course and would recommend it to another colleague or student. My only suggestion would be to start the course earlier in the year so it does not meet into spring. My demands at Bryn Mawr seem to dramatically increase in the spring and I am very glad that this course will be completed by May 1, although a completion date of April 1st would be much better for me. I believe $500 is a very reasonable fee and I think $750 would not be off limit. Bryn Mawr is paying for my course from professional development funds and I'm not sure whether smaller schools could swing $1,000, if that were the case.
• Of course I must include a note about Steve’s humor. I am truly convinced that one cannot work successfully in technology or even education unless they have a good sense of humor. Steve certainly does and we are right there with him. Of course I have learned more than I ever wanted to know about the Boston Celtics and it has been refreshing to think about the number 33 in many different modes. Steve teases all of us about being OCD but also lets us know it is healthy to be concerned about details and deadlines. However, we must communicate with him when we are truly stressed.
• As a result of this course, I recently made a proposal to the Teaching and Learning committee at Bryn Mawr for a new computer science semester course next year, Introduction to Programming. The course has been approved and I am very excited to say that I will be back in the classroom co-teaching the course with a colleague. Rather than meeting 5/10 days, the course will meet 4/10 days and the other twenty percent will be an on-line component including streaming video, e-mails, and chat sessions. I will use Steve's course as a model, but I must be realistic and take "baby" steps. I truly believe that on-line learning can be effective with the right teacher and with motivated students. I do not believe it is the best approach to learning and teaching for every student.
• I will be attending the NAIS conference in Boston and am pleased that I will have an opportunity to meet Steve and Ellie.

• I am a teacher from Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, CT. Teaching is a second/third career for me (after actuary and stay-at-home mom); I have been in education for 10 years now. I started out teaching math and computers; I am currently the Director of Educational Technology, implementing our laptop program and teaching one technology elective in HTML/JavaScript.
• I took programming in college (using punch cards - need I say more?) and have taught both TrueBasic and VisualBasic during the past ten years. I have never taken an online course before. I heard about this course through the ISED listserv. I decided to sign up for it for two reasons: first, here at CSH we are very interested in exploring the potential of distance learning and I thought that participating as a student in an online course would give me valuable perspective; and second, I want to offer a computer science curriculum here at CSH leading eventually to the AP exam so I needed to learn C++.
• My overall reaction to this course is a positive one. I was not sure what to expect so I did not have clear expectations, but I would have to say that the course has met/exceeded any expectations that I did have. I have found the pace of the course very reasonable. I find that I really like the independent nature of an online course - being able to schedule work around my own schedule. What do I value? That would be the EXTRAORDINARY attention, dedication, enthusiasm and devotion that Steve and Ellie have given to every aspect of this course - I just can't say enough about that. I really don't have any suggestions to improve the course that Steve and Ellie haven't already implemented. Some adjustments in the procedure have been made as we go along (ex. moving from having notes 5 days a week to 3 days a week; requiring a response to each note and sharing them with the whole group; having the chapter exercises due before the chapter test) and I think that each of these adjustments have had (or will have) a positive impact on the course. I am conscious that we are the first group to move through this course and it is interesting to watch Steve and Ellie "tweak" and fine-tune the procedural piece of it - I think their instincts are right on target as far as continually improving the experience for everyone.
• E-mail: The M-W-F emails are the mainstay of the course I think. This is where our assignments are outlined, and content introduced and explained. At the beginning I sometimes found it difficult to search out exactly what was expected of us in the way of assignments, but in the past couple of months the e-mails have been structured to lay that out very clearly. Having us responsible for sending a response to each e-mail within 48 hours was a very good idea I think. The e-mails can be very lengthy and for a while there I was just skimming them with the good intention of returning to read them more thoroughly "when I had time" which of course never came. Now I make it a point to read each one thoroughly within a day or so, and as a result I feel on track and connected.
• Streaming video: The videos serve two purposes I think. First, they impart information, usually reinforcement of something that we have already read, perhaps in preparation for a test. Just as importantly however, they "put a face to a name" for us. I have known Steve for a number of years now through SummerCore, but had never met Ellie or Andrew, and I wouldn't like the idea of going through this course with no idea of what they look or sound like. Through the videos, I feel as though I know them now too.
• Phone conversations: These are always welcome, and fun, especially when Steve calls from the grocery store and you get to help him choose the type of cheese that he is going to buy:) The phone calls are a significant investment of time for Steve I imagine, but I know that he has made a commitment to speak with each of us on a regular basis. I certainly enjoy speaking with Steve, but I'm not sure that he needs to put that much pressure on himself. I think the frequent phone calls are a pleasure, but not essential to the course.
• Textbook: I like the text. It seems clear and well laid out, with a variety of problems.
• Audio tape: I thoroughly enjoyed the audio tape. I listened to it in the car on the way to and from work and found myself wishing that it was a regular series! It was one more mode of communicating the content of that chapter, and I found it very helpful. Although I couldn't see Steve and Ellie and Andrew, the audio tape had an advantage in that it could be longer than the video streaming segments.
• As I mentioned above, the time and effort that Steve and Ellie have put into this course has been INCREDIBLE. As a participant, I have the sense that they are truly dedicated to making this course the best experience it can possibly be for each of us. They are very knowledgeable and it is obvious that they are excellent teachers - this comes through in each mode of communication they use. They are flexible and fair, and very receptive to requests for extensions/variations on the assignments as long as we follow through and keep up our end of the bargain. Their sense of humor is a pleasure, and has truly enhanced the experience of this course. Rating the tools of learning: Textbook - 45 (not that the text is the most enjoyable part of this course, but in reality it probably imparts more information than any other component) E-mails - 40 Videos - 10 Phone calls/audio tape - 5 >
• As I mentioned above, this course has been a very positive experience for me, so you might say that it makes me more of a believer in online/distance learning. My hesitation in jumping on the bandwagon however, is that I feel that the quality of this experience is a direct result of the individuals giving this course i.e. I attribute its success to the exceptional work of Steve and Ellie. It's not that different from a classroom situation, is it? It's been my experience that the success of a traditional class depends heavily on the individual standing at the front of that room - on that teacher's knowledge, dedication, innovation, management style, and on their love of the job. So it is with this course - because this one is a success does not mean that I would be an advocate for any distance learning situation (although I would certainly recommend this one!)
• That said, there are some interesting elements to a distance learning course I think. A student's organizational skills, responsibility, degree of independence, and ability to follow through are all put to the test, and for those who fall short in these areas, there is nowhere to hide as it were. In an online course the student is in charge of their own learning to a greater degree than in most traditional classrooms. A great many students wriggle around the issue of accountability, and I would suggest that any situation where students must take more responsibility for their actions/non-actions is a good experience for them.
• Enjoyment - Yes All-improve - I can only speak for myself, but I certainly feel that I have improved and get the sense that we are all moving along Skills - Getting better all the time :) Teamwork - I have had some e-mail exchanges with others in the course (most recently with two other teachers that are considering adding a C++ course to their curriculum next year - we exchanged some ideas) but most of my communication has been with the instructors. I attribute this to the element of TIME - just finding time to attend to the requirements of the course has been a challenge with the demands of work and home. I feel as though developing relationships with others in the course is a luxury that I haven't been able to afford time-wise. That's one of the reasons that I enjoy reading everyone's response to the M-W-F e-mails; it allows me to feel connected to everyone else in the class even if I'm not able to have one-on-one dialogs with each of them.
• I hope that I have covered everything above. Bottom line is that I have no regrets in signing up for this course, despite the time crunch that it causes in my life from time to time. The course is of the highest quality, thanks to the exceptional work of the instructors - I am enjoying it, I am learning a lot about C++ and a lot about the experience of online learning. It is worth the late nights!

• My thoughts on the C++ course. I have been teaching for 25 years and the idea of an online/email/remote course sparked my interest. It concerned me that the lack of personal interaction between the course takers and the teachers might present a problem. I know that the administration at my school (Colorado Academy) were concerned that my teaching would become depersonalized when I added some tutorials to my own webpage. I had to explain that the tutorials were remedial and not intended to replace my classroom activities.
• With regard to the C++ course, I have made connections with both the other students and the teachers via our extensive emails. I am, however , a self-starter and the two students at my school who are also taking the course may not share my feelings. The phone calls I have received from Steve Bergen have connected me with a voice to go with the face I see on my computer screen. Steve has an engaging personality and is a "character". His comments about his dog's activities, his obsession with Larry Bird etc. have gone a long way to humanize the course. I enjoy having him as a teacher. He and Ellie work very hard at this course and are conscientious to a fault.
• With regard to the content: I am finding the material easy enough to deal with, but I have considerable experience with other programming languages. Both of the students at Colorado Academy who are also in the course, have had programming experience as well. This may not make us good judges of how easy it might be to start programming from square one in this long distance manner. From my point of view the course is running well. It supplies me with instruction and things to prepare and I get quick feed back on the assignments I turn in and any questions I pose. I feel the pace is appropriate. The streaming video component is useful, as are the audio tapes that are sent to us. If I were less experienced these would probably be even more helpful.
• We are asked to respond to each lesson with comments and a summary of the content. While this can be a little tedious at times I can see that the teacher might otherwise feel he was yelling into a vacuum. I can appreciate the need for a response from one's students.
• After chapter 4 we were faced with a lot of programming assignments in the form of problems at the end of the chapter. Some students stated that this assignment might be better spread out, with feedback coming between turned in problems. The problems after chapter 5 are being set in groups of 3, and this is a better plan. This is an example of feedback from the students being acted upon by the teachers.
• I am pleased with the course and glad I am taking it from the point of view of learning C++. It has also given me lots to think about regarding the use of the computer in distance learning with streaming video and email. If you would like me to respond to any specific questions you have but to ask.

• My Name is Pablo Baques. I am a Computer Science teacher at St George's School this year. I am lurking Steve Bergen's on-line C++ course, since it was already full when I tried to join it. I took a course on line from IDE instead (http://www.studio-cplus.com/), since I had a great need of firming up my knowledge of C++ before teaching a class this semester. I am in a good position to compare both on-line courses.
• I am writing to express a couple of ideas on my very positive evaluation of Steve's course.
• I would not be fair if I did not start this with a strong praise for Steve himself. He leads the pack of "climbers" with superb style. One which undoubtedly requires a lot of energy and dedication. I find him a thorough teacher (sherpa?) and a true source of inspiration.
• Steve's vision that teaching and learning are the result of good relationships becomes a tangible, concrete strategy in every message he puts out.
• Through the copies of the messages I receive I have become acquainted with each of the participants in the course. I have a mental picture of each one, I relate to each personality. It is almost as if a novel, no, a play, is being written in front of your very eyes while you watch these people struggle through the intricacies of learning and teaching a programming language. This "play", in turn, is a great "driver" of the C++ content. I see great potential for this way of teaching as we all become more used to electronic communications.
• This blending of personalities and knowledge exchanges became even more apparent in the only transcript I received from one of the courses "chats". I have compared reading the chat transcript to one of those gimmicks where a bunch of nails reproduce the profile of your hand or your face being pressed into them at the other end. in such a way I did see the personality and thoughts of the chat participants emerge from the characters of the text. Unfortunately, due to lack of time from participants, chats have been discontinued!
• Since this is an unrequested comment, I wish to keep it reasonably short out of electronic courtesy. But please feel free to come back to me for additional comments if you so desire. I am a great believer of the future of electronic communications in education and I am always ready for exchanges on the subject. I thank Nobles for the opportunity of participating as a lurker in this great experience.