8. 971035 理科段子:远程教育3 `: j% J3 A9 }9 T4 L7 M
Hi, Lynn. I saw you at registration yesterday. I sailed right through, but you were standing in a long line.
/ f% q0 g# ^3 x! b' V! g8 M: _ Yeah. I waited an hour to sign up for a distance-learning course. Y& \5 d5 x0 d4 L/ O0 B( ^
Distance learning? Never heard of it.
5 v- B7 B; c4 j& u/ W Well, it's new this semester. It's only open to psychology majors. But I bet it'll catch on else where. Yesterday, over a hundred students signed up.
% K* f7 ^; M* a Well, what is it?4 b; o" b' |# u
It's an experimental course. I registered for child psychology. All I have got to do is watch a twelve-week series of televised lessons. The department shows them seven different times a day and in seven different locations.+ F ~% L( F4 c& K
Don't you ever have to meet with professor?7 T/ c4 S. K* `6 W
Yeah. After each part of the series I have to talk to her and the other students on the phone, you know, about our ideas. Then we'll meet on campus three times for reviews and exams.
$ z7 T3 R1 O$ o! z It sounds pretty non-traditional to me. But I guess it makes sense, considering how many students have jobs. It must really help with their schedules, not to mention how it will cut down on traffic.
7 T2 ^& ?, d1 c, U, P You know, last year my department did a survey and they found out that 80 percent of all psychology majors were employed. That's why they came up with the program.
7 X3 ]0 \4 \* z; D: F Look, I'll be working three days a week next semester and it was either cut back on my classes or try this out.! o# ~6 J& h3 `9 l! |$ d, V+ z1 I
The only thing is: doesn't it seem impersonal though? I mean, I miss having class discussions and hearing what other people think.; d8 i4 k# |% y! p# g0 Z8 o
Well, I guess that's why phone contact's important. Any way, it's an experiment.& `) _( ^! D( P" M4 {/ V
Maybe I'll end up hating it.$ X0 T: ^/ e' Q; Y* p8 O4 r2 e* Z8 `
Maybe. But I'll be curious to see how it works up. |