Con: Online doesn't work

CHRIS TORRES Reporter @chris_t_torres

Sexual assault training should not be mandatory if the method of training is ineffective.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 20% - 25% of college women and 15% of college men are victims of forced sex during their time in college.

There is a web-based sexual assault prevention and alcohol awareness program called “Think About It by Campus Clarity.” College campuses nationwide have implemented the program, but it seems to be a Band-Aid solution to a much bigger problem.

According to The Temple News at Temple University, it is required for incoming freshmen to complete the hour-long, online course. With no surprise, the overall results did not come out to be very promising.

Temple University implemented the program prior to the fall semester of 2013, and within the first month, there were five sex-related crimes reported around campus. According to The Temple News, this was a comparatively large number for a single month.

Sexual assault is serious, and the solution to this problem isn’t an online training module. Despite the emergence of online learning, studies have proven that students prefer the classroom learning environment. In a national research study done by a consulting firm, Millennial Branding, 78% of more than 1,000 students still prefer a classroom, learning environment.

How can we expect incoming students and faculty at college campuses to learn about sexual assault when the training itself is not hands-on? This issue is being treated as if it’s an online homework assignment.

Instead of a quick online course, there should be mandatory annual interactive meetings where students talk to real sexual assault survivors and advocates as well as self-defense seminars.

Simply completing an online course does not help prevent assault. In order to protect students, further action must be completed.

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[OER UPDATE from page 1]

“Students are struggling to make ends meet, and I don’t want to give them the additional burden of paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks that they may not use again,” said Gulick. “I would rather save them that money and post the readings for free so that they can save their money for when they go to university.”

After students make it to the Search Classes page, they should look for the Class Search Type.

When highlighted they can narrow down the search by selecting the Zero Cost Textbook Classes (OER).

This making it easier for students to actually lock in the classes that they need instead of going on a wild goose chase in the Microsoft Word document of classes available.

Gediman mentioned that professors were a little concerned that students would only take classes based on the free textbooks, but there hasn’t been any declines in the regular classes enrollments.

“Most students are focused on the instructor and how well they teach the class rather than what is free,” said Gediman. “Then maybe if it comes down to one or two classes that you don’t really have the money for textbooks, you can pick a few OER courses.”

Regardless the OER initiative plans to continue to add more courses that students can pick from. At the end of the day it is going to come down to what students are more comfortable using.

“You can access your book pretty easily, so I think that students like it,” said Denise Robb, Political Science professor. “Even though it is free, I haven’t seen students jump to it so hopefully more find out about how easy it truly is.”