VOA标准英语2013--Online Classes May Force Changes at Universities

 

Online Classes May Force Changes at Universities

"This is pretty amazing," said the University of Virginia's David Evans, teaching an online introduction to Computer Science.

Online classes are now taught by many top universities and offer everything from computer programing to the science of cooking.  Many classes are either free or inexpensive, and are updated more quickly than regular college curricula. 

That's important to the millions of students who learn technical and other skills from Lynda.com.  Co-founder Lynda Weinman said, “We can come to market very quickly and we can teach transient skills, so a lot of software is changing constantly and new software is being invented, and those sorts of things cannot easily make their way into college curriculum.”

Instead of the professor lecturing to students, who then do research, study, and homework alone, many online classes flip¹ that around, according to student and blogger John Haber, who said he is taking enough online classes to earn a four-year college degree in just one year.  

“They are watching the lectures at home as homework, recorded lectures, and when they get to class, they are having more active discussions, or interactions with the teachers or working on projects," he explained. 

Experts say the new technology will have a “major impact” on colleges.  And some predict future classes may be a blend of online lectures and professors helping² students work through difficult problems in person.

These would be welcome changes according to Georgetown University labor³ economist⁴ Tony Carnevale, who said school has to be less expensive and more focused on skills needed by employers.  

“It's really quite clear that more and more people need post-secondary education and training and a lot of them are not getting it.  And in cases where they do get it, it doesn't lead to gainful employment.  Or it leads to jobs where they don’t fully⁵ use their talents, and we don’t have enough money to buy our way out of this  so the efficiency of post-secondary institutions is crucial now," he said. 

College marketing⁶ expert Chris Cullen, of the Infinia company, said competition from online alternatives, and concern about costs, will change universities. 

"The consumer demands that you tell me why, give me a reason, to believe that my money, my tuition money is best spent at your institution," he said. "What is the return on my investment?  What is your value proposition?" 

Cullen said top schools with strong reputations may expand in an online world, but less selective, less prestigious⁷ universities may struggle to attract students - and their tuition payments.

1 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。