Question

Después de leer atentamente el texto y las cuestiones siguientes, el alumno deberá responder en INGLÉS a las cuestiones proporcionadas.

TEXTO

Courses Online
For those students who struggle to leave their beds for a 9 a.m. lecture, the idea
of studying online wherever and whenever you want – including under the
duvet with a laptop – may seem like a dream come true. Soon some students
will be able to do just that, as will anybody with a computer and internet
connection, because a number of universities are planning to offer some of their
courses online. Not only will these offer greater flexibility to online learners
around the world, they will also be free.

EdX, an online platform founded by Harvard, Berkeley and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, has already attracted 800,000 students from 192
countries since it started in autumn 2012. Significantly, the platform has
developed an examination process, which means that online learners can
graduate from an EdX course with a certificate and a grade.

However, it seems unlikely, for the time being, that online higher education will
supersede traditional on-campus university degrees. It is well-known that many
leading institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge, are absent from a list of
17 universities that have signed up to give away their course content online.

An obstacle preventing online courses from being taken seriously is the fact that
many have a high drop-out rate. For instance, although 155,000 students
registered online to take MIT’s courses on electronics on EdX, only 7,200
students completed them. With no tutors or lecturers to help you in person, selfmotivation
and discipline are required in abundance to see a course through to
the end.

QUESTIONS


5.- Write about 100 to 150 words on the following topic.

Do you think online learning will eventually substitute traditional education? Give
your opinion.
(Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)


Prueba de selectividad para la comunidad de Madrid. Convocatoria Jun 2013-2014. Inglés.

Answer 1

5.- Write about 100 to 150 words on the following topic. Do you think online learning will eventually substitute traditional education? Give your opinion. 



I consider that online education, if improved, can conquer more ground in the future. A way to make teaching more dynamic and motivational has to be found in other for it to be considered more effective than person-to-person education. In my opinion, conventional classes are way more participative and there’s room to ask questions that wouldn’t normally come up in an online space. The college environment provided by the universities with conventional classes is a key component of the high-education experience, influencing the students’ motivation to be better at their classes and strive for excellence among their classmates. So maybe if online education incorporates the key characteristics of conventional classes, it can, maybe, substitute it in the future.



Prueba de selectividad para la comunidad de Madrid. Convocatoria Jun 2013-2014. Inglés.