On-line classes

I DO NOT LIKE ON-LINE CLASSES. Let me tell you why. They are impersonal. If I want to have a discussion, I would like to see the face and response of the person I am talking to. Posting my thoughts on a "discussion" board is not a discussion. There is no response most of the time, as I am just throwing my words out in the air hoping that someone will respond intelligently. Online classes have way too much busy work. To show that you are "participating" you have to log on everyday and post. Of course, they say that you only need to post 5 of 7 days, but then they give assignment due dates on all of the other days. And if you want to get all of the participation points (or get an A in the class) you must post every day. The emphasis is on the quantity of posts, not the quality. ONLINE CLASSES ARE OPEN FORUMS FOR WEIRDOS. Because you don't see the people you are responding to, you have no idea what they look like. Our outward image is an indicator to others of the person we are. I know, looks are not everything, and don't judge a person by their looks. But looks are a PART of the total package. I have found that my online class has a person who is highly/strongly opinionated, to the point where he can't see anyone else's point of view, and is very critical of anyone who does not share his viewpoint. Perhaps had I seen this person engaged in dialogue, or heard him speak (which is very different than the words we type) I could have recognized those characteristics in him and avoided what turned into a very messy online argument . I am now avoiding this person, who is choosing other members of the class to fight with now. Online classes also force group work onto people who have never met and don't know each other. An example is peer editing of papers. A stranger is going to critique my paper. Why would I want a total stranger, someone I know nothing about, who's credentials I know nothing about, who can't put a complete sentence together in a discussion board post...to critique the paper of a elementary education /language arts major? That makes as much sense as having a tanning desk clerk come and rewire my electricity in my house. Someone's going to get burned. I would much rather have my paper critiqued by a person who's opinion I trusted and valued, and who has earned the right to offer a professional opinion. I could go on and on (thanks for letting me vent) but I need to get out of this blog and go back to my online class and post. Wish me luck!