Online universities cannot just be online. Word of prof
The law should oblige online universities to carry out at least 25-30% of teaching activities in person. The speech by Marco Mayer , professor of Intelligence and National Security at Lumsa and professor of the Cybersecurity Master at Luiss
Online universities – just like private clinics – have for years had the ability to act as a lobby in Parliament that the Conference of Rectors and the National Health System dream of…
But then who defends the interests of state universities and public health? We would need a group of parliamentarians from the left and right who take the fate of the state university and the National Health System to heart.
This idea came to mind because I have had negative experiences in remote university courses where I have taught. Those who don't believe it, think about distance learning during Covid. Obviously, discernment is needed: if I have to give lessons (as happened to me in the 2020-21 academic year) to students who live in Kamchatka I cannot expect them to come to Rome to take the exam.
But in general my personal opinion is that a totally online university cannot give great results because it does not stimulate emotional intelligence and related interpersonal relationships. I mean, I could be wrong, but it's as if students were locked in the bubble of a permanent pandemic.
In addition to reinforcing the digital addiction syndrome, which affects tens of millions of young Americans and Chinese, students may experience symptoms of dissociation from reality and serious difficulties in relationships.
But beyond my point of view, the developments of artificial intelligence in schools and universities make the use of in-person lessons and exams imperative. It is precisely the effective use of AI that also requires a traditional pedagogical relationship between students and teachers
What to do? The solution is quite simple. A few articles of law would be enough to oblige online universities to carry out at least 25-30% of their teaching activities in person: an ideal mix to prevent alienation and prepare young people for the hybrid society of the future.
It's a shame that these are issues that no one talks about, neither for universities nor for the future of private healthcare.
The public would have a lot to say about this. However, no one talks about these issues because the same lobbies and sometimes international funds (which I mentioned at the beginning) always control a good part of the media. I have never demonized the private sector, on the contrary. But a society in which the public interest loses all ethical and political meaning is destined to decline.
+++
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/economia/universita-telematiche-intervento-mayer/ on Thu, 28 Sep 2023 05:23:14 +0000.