Online Learning…The Gratz Perspective By Dr. Ruth Sandberg Leonard and Ethel Landau Associate Professor of Rabbinics Gratz College is a pioneer in the field of online Jewish Studies. Back in 2001, Gratz began modestly by offering its first online course with an enrollment of five students. Over the years, the online program has developed considerably, and currently there are fifteen courses being taught to students from all over the United States. It is anticipated that the number of online courses will continue to grow with the expanding online student population. Online learning is attractive to students for many reasons. Many students live in areas of the country where no substantial Jewish Studies courses or Jewish Studies degrees are available. Also, parents of small children often prefer to take courses online, so that they do not have to leave their children or pay for baby sitting in order to take on-campus courses. There are also many on-campus Gratz students who take courses online. These local students may take an online course because it is the only way to fit a particular subject into their busy schedule, or because they simply enjoy the format of online courses just as much as on-campus courses. Online learning is especially attractive to people who work full time, because they can study whenever it is convenient for them and do not have to disrupt their work schedule to pursue a degree. One obvious advantage of online learning is that you can take time to absorb the material. Often, online discussions can continue for a much longer period than an on-campus class would permit, and online students do not suffer the frustration of asking the professor a question that cannot be answered in the time allotted for the class. Online courses allow students to have much one-on-one contact with their professors, because there is no limit to the number of times students and teachers can access each other in an online course. It has also been gratifying to see true collegial relationships develop between students who have never met each other face to face, but who know each other through their thoughts and musings in extended online discussions. The technology of online learning is always moving forward, and one of the exciting developments for the future involves the possibility of both professors and students being able to videotape lectures or comments and run the videos online, with just the addition of a small camera mounted on top of the computer monitor. This will personalize online learning even further, because everyone will be able to be seen and heard – as well as alleviate the need for so much typing! There really are no limits to what online learning can offer, and Gratz College is proud to be a leader in this important new mode of learning. Close this article