VOA慢速英语2012 Education Report - Another Look at Massive Online Open Courses

Education Report - Another Look at Massive Online Open Courses

教育报道 - 再谈网络公开课程

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。

Last week, we talked about Massive Open Online Courses, also called MOOCs. Tens of thousands, or even more, people can take these classes all at once. You can be anywhere in the world to take a MOOC. All you need is a computer and a network connection.

上周我们讨论了大规模网络开放课程，简称为MOOCs。数万人，甚至更多人，可以同时参加所有这些课程。你可以在世界上任何一个角落参加网络开放课程，所需要的只是一台电脑和一条宽带。

MOOCs add to a tradition of what is known as distance learning. For years, many colleges have offered classes that are taught partly or mostly online. MOOCs are available in subjects like computer science, engineering or mechanics. Can MOOCs in subjects like arts or the humanities be as effective?

网络开放课程成为了传统远程教育的一个补充。多年来，许多高校已经提供部分或大部分是在线教授的课程。网络开放课程已经提供了计算机科学、工程或力学等学科课程。那么网络开放课程在艺术、人文等学科上能有所作为吗？

Scott Anderson teaches philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He sees both good and bad sides to MOOCs.

斯科特·安德森（Scott Anderson）在加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚大学教授哲学。他认为网络开放课程既有好的方面，也有坏的方面。

SCOTT ANDERSON: “There are parts that will be fine, insofar as mostly when students listen to a lecture, there is no special reason why they need to be physically 1 present to hear and get it. There is certainly no reason why they need to be physically present to get the readings and to think about these things.”

安德森：“网络开放课程的一部分是好的，在多数情况下，学生听一场报告时，并没有让他们必须亲自到现场听的特殊理由，当然也没有让他们必须亲自到现场获得阅读材料并思考它的理由。”

Mr. Anderson says increased numbers of students in MOOCs can mean less communication between them and teachers. He says two ways to deal with this are by adding more teachers and setting up online discussion groups.

安德森先生说，网络开放课程学生人数的持续增加意味着他们与老师之间沟通的减少。他说解决这点有两种途径：增加师资和开设网上讨论小组。

Lisa Jadwin teaches English and American literature and writing at St. John Fisher College in New York. She says online education has some weaknesses for her subjects.

丽莎·贾德文（Lisa Jadwin）在纽约圣约翰费舍尔学院教英语和美国文学及写作。她说，网络教育在她这门学科上存在一些弱点。

LISA JADWIN: “What's lost in online education is face-to-face interaction. And the teaching of literature is an interactive 2 face-to-face discipline. And that old-fashioned approach is not going to be unseated very quickly by computer-aided instruction.”

贾德文：“网络教育中缺少的是面对面互动。文学的教学就是一种面对面学习。这种传统方式不会被计算机辅助教学所取代。”

Professor Jadwin says some students could learn very well from talks and reading assignments, blogs and discussion groups. But she believes that hybrid 3 courses work best. She describes hybrids 4 as mixing face-to-face course elements with computer-aided teaching and writing projects.

贾德文教授说，一些学生通过对话、课外阅读作业、博客以及讨论组就能学得很好。但她认为综合课程的效果更好。她所说的综合是指把面对面课程元素同计算机辅助教学和写作项目结合起来。

Bill Pogue teaches communications at the University of Houston-Downtown. He says that after leading classes for more than thirty years, he would not attempt to teach a MOOC. However, Mr. Pogue sees good value in online education. He noted 5 a strong sense of community in an online course he once took. He said the students worked together on a project while living on four continents.

比尔·波格（Bill Pogue）在修斯顿大学城中校区教传播学。他说，在主导了30多年课程之后，他不会尝试教授网络开放课程。然而，波格先生认为网络教育具有良好价值。他指出曾经参加过的一个网络课程的强烈归属感。他说，学生们在一个项目上合作，而他们分别居住在四大洲。

BILL POGUE: “I just thought that was really exciting, would hardly be able eve to be replicated 6 in a single, traditional classroom or face-to-face setting.”

波格：“我认为这是非常激动人心的，它在单一的传统课堂或面对面模式下是很难复制的。”

And that’s the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. For transcripts 7, MP3s and now PDFs of our programs for e-readers, go to voanews.cn. I’m Christopher Cruise.