Face-to-Face Learning is to e2020 as….

Please finish the analogy for me if you have a moment.

Many districts around us are starting to talk about Edgenuity’s signature elearning platform, and before people in my district start mentioning it, I’d love any and all candid, honest, thoughtful responses. My district is one of the largest consumers of MVU courses in Michigan, and we’re starting to look at additional providers to make our online offerings more robust. I’ve heard many stories particularly about e2020, and I’ll be doing some thorough research, but I wanted to get some gut reactions first.

So I thought we’d have some fun with it, and turn it into an analogy. Face-to-Face learning is to e2020 as ____________ is to _______________. Leave your responses in the comments below.

5 comments

  1. The first thing that came to mind is “…the blues is to music.” This implies a couple of things. That an e-learning platform or toolbox of methods is a complement to face-to-face methods. Where F2F is one tool in the toolbox, that larger toolbox can contain an array of methods to address a variety of challenges.

    The other neat thing about the blues : music analogy is the implication that these new methods sprout from the genesis of face to face instruction. In some ways, many of the self-paced and facilitated methods employed in e-learning strategies aren’t all that different than the physical space offering. The opportunities provided by an online program offer expanded access opportunities, increased transparency, and a fertile space for rich mediums to grow.

    The best of all worlds… is all worlds:)

    1. I like the analogy Steve, thanks. eLearning platforms are an offshoot of what we’ve been doing in traditional face-to-face learning; someone could even take your analogy a step farther and say as blues is to boogie-woogie.

      I’m curious though if there aren’t some other elements of eLearning platforms that might change a “genre” of music for the worse. While it compliments certain aspects of the traditional learning environment, it also distorts the original intention to a degree that makes it so only a narrower audience appreciates the new. In this case I’m thinking about Krautrock here.

  2. My bias aside, there is a reason that e2020 has changed its name, Its reputation was not so good. MVU is a supplementary provider of online learning using Michigan certified teachers .

    1. Jay, bias is always welcome here as long as it’s clearly stated at the door, so thanks 🙂

      I hadn’t thought about comparing e2020 to other online learning programs or institutions, but perhaps that would have been a better analogy to explore. So for the sake of playing devil’s advocate which of the following would you agree with given what you know about e2020’s reputation?

      Let’s use food this time, instead of music. If MVU were a home cooked meal, with you equate e2020 to fast food (say McDonald’s), or a light snack (in between meals)? Both have nutritional value, but one offer different levels.

      1. I’d have to go with McDonald’s, not a lot of substance there. Tasty but not good for you. Appealing because of it’s low cost but not because of it’s nutrition. A quick fix that you will regret later. Tastes good going down, not so much coming up.

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