Aaron Vehling

Though technology aims to enrich our lives by making them easier so we can devote more time to watching television, we don’t need a fully electronic education.

In the past 10 years, I’ve seen the chalkboard evolve to the markerboard and now to PowerPoint presentations.

While classroom technology improves time spent in lecture, Web-based learning systems attempt to supplement class time.

At UW-Eau Claire, WebCT, Blackboard and Desire 2 Learn are used to the point of excess.

Although Web-based learning systems cut time out of instructor’s schedules by tackling menial tasks like grading multiple-choice quizzes, they cannot re-create the classroom atmosphere.

While most of the features on these systems are useful and give students better access to course materials from anywhere with the Internet, there is one feature that should not be used as much as it is.

The dreaded discussion board link has been clicked too many times.

Simply typing up mini-essays and sporadically replying to other students’ comments does not create a meaningful discussion, and this method should not be used as a supplement to in-class debate.

Discussion implies a good back-and-forth debate, and in the electronic forum, debate looses its flavor and fervor.

In speech classes, professors say communication scholars assert that 90 percent of communication is done through physical speech. The remainder is what actually is spoken.

When more technology is thrown at discussion, part of the message gets lost in electronic translation.

On the telephone, communication loses some of its elegance by eliminating the visual touches. When people speak, their faces and bodies tell part of the tale. Whether it be a roll of the eyes, a nibble on the upper lip or a nervous twitch, more information is given out.

The online forum cuts out all nuances and gives the speaker the flat monotone of black and white text.

True, writing one’s thoughts gives time for careful revision, and often the result is more comprehensive and better researched. But this is best saved for term papers and not an ongoing stream of correspondence that serves little purpose to the class.

Often, things said on message boards are re-creations of classroom discussions anyway.

Why make students replicate what they already said? It’s a waste of time that could be better spent on an actual homework assignment.

The Web-based learning systems are necessary in this era of e-learning, but they cannot be relied on to replace the experiences of classroom interaction.

Intelligently discussing issues is a vitally important skill, not just in college, but also in the professional world.

Typing responses is passive engagement in a discussion and often saps the very joy of debating and getting other perspectives on a topic.

Online forums don’t force people to develop their debate skills. In a spontaneous discussion, students don’t have hours, days or weeks to respond to a comment.

Aside from the theoretical problems with overusing programs like Desire 2 Learn, WebCT and Blackboard, there are also the typical software problems.

WebCT works – some of the time. On many occasions, logging on takes multiple attempts. It even has proven impossible at times.

Even Desire 2 Learn has a few quirks to get past, but at least it lets you in.

The trio of programs has been an excessive expenditure of university funds, but this is being corrected. According to James Lowe, interim associate vice chancellor and chief information officer, WebCT and Blackboard will disappear in June and we will be left with Desire 2 Learn.

Good riddance.

For all underclassmen, this will be an improvement over the other two programs, which have been the bane of my existence on many nights when I’ve repeatedly hit the “login” button with no success.

Desire 2 Learn will cost an estimated $1.14 million yearly for software and associated services at Eau Claire.

Hopefully the software manufacturers will rid the program of its bugs, but when it comes to fixing any problems with the discussion boards, don’t bother – we don’t need them.

Dowd is a senior print journalism major and editorial editor of The Spectator. “A Dose of Dowd” appears every Thursday on the Opinion page.