A Comparison-Contrast Essay of Neil Postman and Thomas Friedman’s Opinions
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Category: English Composition
Date Submitted: 02/01/2015 07:35 AM
MOOCs and Their Ability to Deliver Writing Instruction Online
A Comparison-contrast essay of Neil Postman and Thomas Friedman’s Opinions
James A. Dennis
University of Maryland University College
MOOCs and Their Ability to Deliver Writing Instruction Online
Higher education is currently undergoing what may be its most significant change since the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century. Technology is restructuring many aspects of education. In today’s technologically advanced society, the term “classroom” has a new meaning. An example of this phenomenon are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). MOOCs provide students from around the world the opportunity to attend and complete course work from the best colleges being taught by the best professors. These courses allow the students to works at their own pace from the convenience of their own home. This is especially appealing to those already working full-time. Enthusiasts, such as Thomas Friedman, argue that MOOCs are potentially the most important additional to modern education. That by having a MOOC available to those in under developed worlds it will open great minds to solve more of our common problems. Even though Neil Postman’s book, The End of Education, was written well before MOOCs were available it is still clear what his opinions on them would be. Postman is not as enthusiastic about technology’s place in education as Friedman is. Neil Postman and Thomas Friedman agree that there are some things that can’t be taught outside of a traditional classroom, but they disagree on the roll that technology should play on education.
Postman argues that society should deter from seeking a replacement to traditional classrooms because societal norms and proper behaviors can’t be taught in a virtual setting. According to Postman (1995), technology challenges the tradition that children should be educated in school. Postman states that people have had greater access to more information, faster and...
