Yeungnam University’s e-learning center was selected as an outstanding e-Learning center for Daegu-Gyeongbuk area out of the nationwide survey for the third consecutive year, as well as being a leading university in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. However, YU turned out to have lots of problems regarding internet lectures in cyber space. Therefore, The Yeungnam Observer set out to analyze the problems that students have about internet lectures and to find approaches to solving these.
Reasons for the Issues of Internet Lectures
Typed References (Under YUKIKI Study Information: Deducting Points)
YUKIKI is a unified community that is run-by independently for enrolled undergraduates, graduates and postgraduate students with the purpose of increasing space which allow them to interact in internet. This operates by points and allows students to upload or download references under the study information category. When a student uploads a material, the management team awards one-hundred points after confirming it weekly. On the other hand, points are deducted if a student downloads the material. In response to this, the negative reactions of students were related to not knowing about the point system or conserving points. The main purpose of this category is to share assignment information of registered courses and to organize the material from the internet lecture. But The Yeungnam Observer doubts whether sharing materials, using a point system, aids in learning.
Fast Forward Program (Reducing Lecture Time)
Usually, internet lectures allow students to control the speed of the lectures, but for several universities, the speed cannot be controlled. Thus, students find these uncomfortable. Because students want to take the lecture as fast as they can during the exam week, they download a fast forward program, which allows them to control the speed. This means the program will finish the forty minute lecture in twenty-five minutes. As a result, students do not learn properly since they tend to use this program when they have less time until the deadline or due to long hours of the lecture. In addition, most students do not concentrate on the material or do something else with their laptop when the lecture is playing.
Interview with Three YU Students
Anonymous
Sophomore
Dept. of Regional Development and Welfare Administration
Q) Why did you decide to take internet lectures and what are the inconveniences that you experienced?
A) The major reason why I decided to take internet lectures is because I could use my own time with flexibly without being bound by lecture times. But this reason can be the cons since I could replay the lectures for several times and learn by making two bites at a cherry, which made me to become lazy or do something else. Above all, the lectures were not played live so I could not ask questions. Thus, lack of understanding was resulted when compared to offline lectures. Although I could use the Q&A board, immediate responses did not came so I was frustrated.
Q) Then, what is your own solution about the cons of the internet lectures?
A) I believe personal efforts are the big factors for a solution, but determining specific days or specific times also can be effective if internet lectures change to live video chats. This way can compensate the defects of internet lectures, if taken.
Shim Jae Young
Senior
Dept. of Regional Development and Welfare Administration
Q) Why did you decide to take internet lectures and what are the inconveniences that you experienced?
A) I took a blended learning lecture, but I have never taken internet lectures from 2010. It has been five years since I have decided to take internet lectures. The first reason was that I could not communicate with professors like in regular classes. Secondly, there were times that I did something else and did not concentrate on the lectures. In addition, I always thought that the communication between the professor and student was particularly important. For this reason, I believed that taking a lecture with the professor through a traditional offline classes was much better than taking internet lectures.
Q) Then, what is your own solution about the cons of the internet lectures?
A) I think there is no reason to think seriously. First, internet lectures should be interesting to attract students, even though this can be difficult for the professors. Secondly, there must be a program like KakaoTalk to allow students to ask questions and professors to leave comments. Despite my lack of solutions, I believe that these inconveniences can be reduced.
Go Byung-chan
Sophomore
Dept. of Nano, Medical and Polymer Materials
Q) Why did you decide to take internet lectures and what are the inconveniences that you experienced?
A) I took internet lectures because my academic credits after registering for liberal arts courses were left and I thought the lectures would not influence my class schedule much at all. Preferentially, I had a lack of information about the registered lectures, which led me to have difficulties while studying. In addition, a lack of understanding occurred because the opened lectures were not related to my major. Since I was a freshman, I chose the lectures by looking at the titles. Thus, I wanted to cancel those because the contents of the lecture were completely different based on the titles. Another reason is because I looked for typed references on my lectures and took exams, I felt nothing was left. Lastly, the lectures that had assignments periodically bothered me.
Q) Then, what is your own solution about the cons of the internet lectures?
A) Lack of information about internet lectures is the main problem, even though sometimes I try to find information in YUKIKI. For example, if there is an organized table with helpful information about different lectures by students, this must be passed through SNS. Also, I think students should not take internet lectures lightly to earn academic credits.
The Yeungnam Observer has considered the issues and solutions for internet lectures. We had an interview with the manager of the Center for Teaching and Learning, but it was not helpful for the problems and solutions. When the system allows students to communication smoothly, they tend to be more active and the acquisition of learning becomes more effective. However, the weaknesses of internet lectures still occur. Thus, new attempts must be made in order to adjust those. Internet lectures should be focused on the students and is essential to improve the conditions of lectures frequently by the feedbacks from the students.
