Remotely Close
A Practical Guidebook for Christian Online Higher Education
by
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What do you suppose the following sayings or phrases have in common? Card Shark, Irregardless, First come, first serve, pawned off, I could care less, the proof is in the pudding. That is not even remotely close. Can you guess? They are all incorrect! Be honest, now. How many of you reading this page can admit to using these phrases in regular conversation? How many would be willing to fess up that you secretly judge people who use these incorrect sayings in your presence? Whether you are the offender of the English language or the offended grammar guru, the fact remains that these regularly misused sayings are incorrect either historically, grammatically, or both.
The correct version of card shark is card sharp, indicating that a person is skilled at playing cards. Irregardless is not a word at all. One should simply say, regardless. First come, first serve should be first come, first served. The correct version of pawned off is palmed off, pointing to someone skilled at sleight of hand, a magician or trickster. If someone says they could care less, they are actually saying they care. To be grammatically correct and in line with the meaning, one would need to say I couldn't care less. The proof is in the pudding, is actually the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And finally, something cannot be remote and close simultaneously. The phrase, "That is not even remotely close," does not make sense…even remotely (see what I did there). To be remote is to be far away and disconnected. Remotely close is an oxymoron...or is it?
Remote online education is undoubtedly here to stay. It is not going anywhere, and this book is not arguing that it should. There have always been those who need to access new training but are simply unable to be physically in an in-person classroom environment. Education through long-distance correspondence is not new, but as the technological delivery systems continue to advance and evolve rapidly, new challenges are presented along with their consequent benefits. Educators must consider what crucial learning elements may have been lost in the rapid pursuit of convenient, accessible, and affordable remote/online education. Thus, the purpose of this book.
In no way does the research before you give evidence that in-person environments are better than online classrooms. The goal of this book is not to argue for a return to more traditional means of teaching. It is, however, seeking to highlight a vital element of the learning process that can be lost in typical remote/online education to the detriment of school administrators, learners, and professors.
Specifically, this work focuses on the relational component of education and its corresponding short-term and long-term benefits for all involved. This research-based book shows that school administrators, teachers, and students have much to gain when strong relational connections exist. Therefore, based on the findings of my doctoral study, strategies are put forward to regain what remote education often is missing: relational closeness. I hope that this book may assist all involved in online education to become remotely close.
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About the Book
After ten years of online education, I had earned an MA and a Ph.D. Though incredibly grateful for this time of learning and growing, there was still something amiss once it was all finished. It wasn’t easy to figure out why I felt this way, but it finally came to me. Ultimately, I cannot point to one meaningful long-term friendship that was formed with either a peer or professor. The accessible, convenient, and affordable pathways of online educational delivery systems paved the way for me to achieve my learning goals, and for that, I am thankful. Yet, the feeling of being robbed of the human element and the benefit of gaining another’s perspective remained.
Online education is here to stay. No one is arguing that fact. Even now, new technological advancements continue to emerge, offering innovative approaches to helping people to continue learning. I celebrate this and encourage it, but not at the expense of the human element. This book puts forward research-based findings that offer evidence that students, professors, and schools are far more likely to achieve their goals when solid friendships exist.
A solidly Christian and Biblical perspective undergirds and supports the results of this one-and-a-half-year doctoral research project that is the basis for this book. Questions that are considered through these pages include:
1. Why do relationships matter in online education?
2. Who is responsible for creating relational connections in online education?
3. Where and when can social opportunities happen in online education?
4. Is there a Biblical precedent for learning in relational communities?
5. Are there dangers to learning in isolation?
By using inspirational true stories, Biblical examples, and data gleaned from the research, arguments are made that all in online education win if genuine friendships exist and we enjoy the support of a Christian community.
About the Author
Dr. Daniel Day is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ, husband, father, local church pastor, educator, and consultant. He enjoys building things from the ground up, as well as working with teams to breathe new life into their organizations. Most of all, Dr. Day’s greatest joys are assisting people in their journey to become all that God has called them to be and investing in the lives of the next generation.