Thus, they miss out on the richness of diversity which cannot be duplicated online. Being in the classroom with diverse groups is a critical part of the learning experience. Students will miss out on the college experience that includes the dialectic of the classroom and dorm room. The workload issue for faculty who develop courses for the web was also discussed. In response to questions of whether students were enrolling in courses online rather than coming to campus, Beth Unger stated that it is often not a different population of students.
Students enroll in courses online for reasons of time, space and convenience.
These include students with disabilities, international students and the students who take courses online because it meets their learning styles. The question of access should be held in conversation with the public schools. The playing field can be made level for those students who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or poorly equipped schools. All students, especially students of color, should be provided a conceptual base for learning that solidifies their awareness, knowledge, skills, abilities and experience. Students are thirsty for diversity and want to have conversations about it.