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I never understood online-learning ([1]) for non-trivial topics. I need to discuss stuff to really understand it and to also have fun with it! I don't know how

I never understood online-learning ([1]) for non-trivial topics. I need to discuss stuff to really understand it and to also have fun with it! I don't know how somebody could do a complete degree or even some harder lectures purely by watching some videos on your computer. Having access to some smart phd-students, talking with peers and solving hard problem-sets together is part of the fun. I can only imagine doing this for things like a math-light "intro to neural networks" (my only completed MOOC and more of an tensorflow-tutorial) or "Accounting for dummies". EDIT: What I want to say: to me, it feels nearly impossible to learn the stuff I learned in my more challenging lectures completely on my own with online-videos. [1] this feels weird as a ML-dude

macspoofing 8y ago
>I never understood online-learning ([1]) for non-trivial topics. How about this: You can't afford to pause your entire life to do a 4 year degree.
- LeanderK 8y ago
  we have part-time masters here in germany. A friend of mine is doing a part-time bachelor and it works out. But it's usually not as challenging as going to a university for a full-time study.
  - yuy910616 8y ago
    I think in Europe this might be possible. But in America cost of education is prohibitively expensive.
    - LeanderK 8y ago
      That's weird. The only serious competition to public higher education-insitutions in germany is in part-time study programmes. One of them, the FOM, is even branding itself as the "higher education institution for working people". The difference to full-time university degrees is that they are (usually) not research-focused. So you just learn, for example, business management, but they don't try to teach you how to do research, read and understand papers. It's a big difference. You mostly don't need much math if you don't want to do research. But I've always wondered...is there a differentiation in america between universities and other higher-education institutions?
  - macspoofing 8y ago
    Online learning falls under the same umbrella as doing a degree part-time, but provide even more flexibility.
j45 8y ago
The issue is - online learning isn't just watching videos. In the case of software related tasks, it's learning skills, competencies, and building software, which is on the computer. Digital learning is not happening, because current implementations have been anchored in the past (recording lectures) instead of creating meaningful digital experiences. Educators generally don't have the technology skills to create meaningful digital learning experiences. The technologists that can create meaningful digital learning experiences are often not in the decision making capacity that they could be.
- LeanderK 8y ago
  Hmm, maybe i didn't clearly communicate my opinion. What I wanted to say is that I can't see how you could learn (without being exceptionally dedicated) challenging topics. Things you normally go to university for. Things where you constantly have to do difficult exercises, where you find yourself wanting to quit, but you have to keep pushing yourself through it. In the end, it's fun. But the path you have to travel to get there is not (always).
  - j45 8y ago
    Maybe both experiences are valid. Maybe it's not what our degree makes of us, but what we make of our degree/education. University is where I learned to teach myself bececause my brilliant highly rated Comp Sci profs and program couldn't teach or communicate the best.
  - EliRivers 8y ago
    I did a masters in maths with the OU. It was effectively eight months of full time work, spread over five and a half years (when I started, I was thinking about doing it in a bit under four, but once I realised how many hours just one topic was going to take me, I had to lengthen my timetable). As you surmise, difficult exercises and textbooks were the key; the occasional video was good only for mining something very specific. I watched three or four geometry videos while learning the history of geometry from Euler to Minkowski, but geometry is particularly suited to that medium. You say you can't see how it can be done without being exceptionally dedicated; I don't know what counts as "exceptional dedication", but I feel there's a context missing here. Is it expected (not necessarily by you - but are you seeing this expectation in other people) that it's possible to learn large amounts of difficult material without putting the time and effort in?

macspoofing 8y ago

>I never understood online-learning ([1]) for non-trivial topics. How about this: You can't afford to pause your entire life to do a 4 year degree.

LeanderK 8y ago
we have part-time masters here in germany. A friend of mine is doing a part-time bachelor and it works out. But it's usually not as challenging as going to a university for a full-time study.
- yuy910616 8y ago
  I think in Europe this might be possible. But in America cost of education is prohibitively expensive.
  - LeanderK 8y ago
    That's weird. The only serious competition to public higher education-insitutions in germany is in part-time study programmes. One of them, the FOM, is even branding itself as the "higher education institution for working people". The difference to full-time university degrees is that they are (usually) not research-focused. So you just learn, for example, business management, but they don't try to teach you how to do research, read and understand papers. It's a big difference. You mostly don't need much math if you don't want to do research. But I've always wondered...is there a differentiation in america between universities and other higher-education institutions?
- macspoofing 8y ago
  Online learning falls under the same umbrella as doing a degree part-time, but provide even more flexibility.

j45 8y ago

The issue is - online learning isn't just watching videos. In the case of software related tasks, it's learning skills, competencies, and building software, which is on the computer. Digital learning is not happening, because current implementations have been anchored in the past (recording lectures) instead of creating meaningful digital experiences. Educators generally don't have the technology skills to create meaningful digital learning experiences. The technologists that can create meaningful digital learning experiences are often not in the decision making capacity that they could be.

LeanderK 8y ago
Hmm, maybe i didn't clearly communicate my opinion. What I wanted to say is that I can't see how you could learn (without being exceptionally dedicated) challenging topics. Things you normally go to university for. Things where you constantly have to do difficult exercises, where you find yourself wanting to quit, but you have to keep pushing yourself through it. In the end, it's fun. But the path you have to travel to get there is not (always).
- j45 8y ago
  Maybe both experiences are valid. Maybe it's not what our degree makes of us, but what we make of our degree/education. University is where I learned to teach myself bececause my brilliant highly rated Comp Sci profs and program couldn't teach or communicate the best.
- EliRivers 8y ago
  I did a masters in maths with the OU. It was effectively eight months of full time work, spread over five and a half years (when I started, I was thinking about doing it in a bit under four, but once I realised how many hours just one topic was going to take me, I had to lengthen my timetable). As you surmise, difficult exercises and textbooks were the key; the occasional video was good only for mining something very specific. I watched three or four geometry videos while learning the history of geometry from Euler to Minkowski, but geometry is particularly suited to that medium. You say you can't see how it can be done without being exceptionally dedicated; I don't know what counts as "exceptional dedication", but I feel there's a context missing here. Is it expected (not necessarily by you - but are you seeing this expectation in other people) that it's possible to learn large amounts of difficult material without putting the time and effort in?