David F. Noble, controversial higher education watchdog and history professor at York University in Toronto, spoke to about 30 professors and students yesterday afternoon in Ruffner Auditorium on the topic of online higher education.
The author of several books and essays, including "Digital Diploma Mills: the Automation of Higher Education," Noble said he is particularly opposed to the computerization of university courses and electronic distance education.
Vice Provost for Health Sciences Bob Reynolds introduced the speaker as "one of the most outspoken critics of distance learning."
Noble focused his message on his belief that the elimination of the interpersonal aspects of the university experience degrades the quality of the education, especially because the goal of the educators becomes "profit" rather than "pedagogy."
He began his speech with a brief history of what he called the "commoditization of higher education." As early as the 1890s, proponents of correspondence learning argued that using letters to communicate with teachers would soon eclipse traditional higher education by providing individualized and personalized attention to the student and added convenience, Noble said.
He said the same arguments are used today by supporters of online universities.
"The expectation of financial returns fueled by the extravagance of technological fantasies" has led to relaxation of legal safeguards and sound financial management, he added.
Noble also spoke extensively on his work to expose the controversy over a contract between UCLA and the Home Education Network (now called OnlineLearning.net), a private company that provides university courses on the Internet.
He cited the Copyright Act of 1976, saying course materials are authored by instructors and therefore belong to them.
But UCLA sold its instructors' intellectual property to the online company by signing over "exclusive distribution rights" to the Web site, he said.
Noble said he threatened a lawsuit in order to get information he needed about the 1994 contract.
He also stressed that online education never should replace traditional schools.
"I'm really concerned - universities are very special places," Noble said. Professors need to be able to interact with their students, to understand them and to encourage them, he said. "How can you do that online"
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