Rudeness in Class Remains a Problem 1999, Is a Password-Protected Online Department, for Example, Is Consider- Go Online with Their Laptops
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Volume 49 • Number 33 Since 1957 Tuesday,October 31,2006 sundial.csun.edu A financially independentstudent newspaper Online courses growing more popular at CSUN CSUN senior Tamara Johnson is Close to 300 currently taking an English course and a geography.course fully online. online classes She said taking courses online is a added in last year matter of convenience because they let her skirt the hassle of driving to CSUN but she insisted that online JEREMY FOSTER courses are no less challenging than DAlLY SUNDIAL traditional classroom courses. "I think online courses require lose to 300 fully online or more work than traditional· lecture partially online courses were I classes because of the fact that you added to the CSUN curricu- C have to keep up with your reading lum in the past year, according to materials to be able to participate in the Office of Online Instruction at discussion boards or chat sessions," CSUN. she said. "Your grade is dependent "Online courses are contagious:' upon your participation, whereas in said Professor Randal Cummings, a lecture you can just blend into the I director of the Online Instruction pro- class and not participate at all." grim. "I'd say online courses are Johnson's English class meets up .growing at a rate from 20-25 percent once a week in a live chat room and PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Ily alN~Sro £lJZA/II<ARAZ I DAILYSUNDIAL a year. in the past years it was step-by- Teachers claim that students are distracted by technology In the c1aS'Sr'Oom, her geography class communicates step with 40 a year fo now 300." through a bulletin board provided by Cummings said eventually some WebCT. whole academic programs will be WebCT, in use by CSUN since offered online. The liberal studies , Rudeness in class remains a problem 1999, is a password-protected online department, for example, is consider- go online with their laptops. But is resource that allows professors to use technology that students had was a ing putting the entire General Studies JILLIAN BALLARD technology to blame, or the students chat rooms, bulletin boards, and stor- pager," said Dr. Jerry Shaw, psychol- option (non-teaching track) online. DAlLY SUNDIAL themselves? ogy professor. age areas for course COntent to con- j "We hope to offer the program - "I worry about what people look at duct a class online. , Although students may be bored in beginning Fall 2008, if the program is I recent years, students have on their laptops," said Dr. Clementine CSUN kicked up the online course class, they may not realize how rude deemed feasible," said Fariba Parzan- become more rude in the class- Oliver, history professor. technology several notches last year ! they are being to their professors. It is Schmitt, special programs director of m. The question is why. Paying Professors are Dot stupid, they can when it began using Elhjminate, Th not only the technology and nor pay- the liberal studies department, in an attention in class has become harder see and hear everything students are ing attention in class that making which is an online interactive class- j is email. "Many of our General Stud- forstudents due to new technology. doing. It does not matter how large the room that allows for applieatica shar-. , students rude. Walking to class late ies Option courses are already being Students cannot seem to break classroom is. ing, whiteboard, video sharing, voice- right in front of the professor while offered online and we highly encour- away from their technology for even "Talking in class drives me crazy,'.' over Internet, and chat room c1osed- they are lectwing is rude, as is walking age our students to enroll in these anhour-long course. Students are con- Oliver said. "Any text messaging (or) captioning for the hearing impaired. out of class early, or packing up their online classes." SlanUytext messaging with their cell phones vibrating ... I can hear it." Cummings said not all online belongings while the professor is still The growing popularity of online phones or BlaclcBerries. Students are Oliver has a course with over 100 courses use the same format lecturing. courses is primarily a result of CSUN j, even listening to music on their iPOOs students in it, and yet she can still hear "Generally there are two modes "Interruptions (in the classroom) being a commuter-school with a "very , while in class. Wireless technology everything. strong working-class demographic," has made it possible for students to "In the past the most advanced See RUDE, page 3 Cummings said. See ONLINE, page 2 Off-campus eateries to escape to located on Reseda Boulevard during lunch, and it's set back More food behind the Union Bank of Cal- far enough from the street that choices than ifornia. LA Grill is only two you sit outside, back from traf- years old and offers a quiet fic, under the umbrellas," she Sierra Center enough atmosphere to study. said. It's very calming, and it's not The Lunch Special is JIlLIAN BALLARD too busy. Unlike the popular offered from 11 a.m. to 3 DAILYSUNDlAL Chipode, LA Grill always p.m. Monday through Friday. bas seating. It's a nice, relax- Although LA. Grill does not ired of eating on cam- ing break away from school, give student discounts, the pus? Students only have with pictures of palm trees restaurant is still moderately Ta few choices of laces surroundin ou and its earth- riced. 10 eat, no matter what side of toned colors make the restau- Spending $6 on a combo campus they hang out on. rant warm and inviting. meal at Carl's Jr. may be fast If you are getting tired of "I was told about L.A. Grill -and easy, but L.A. Grill is a lot eating at the same places on from a colleague of mine," healthier. campus, there are many places said Nicole Warwick, Assis- ''I usually go during their to eat just blocks away from tant WPE Coordinator in the lunch special, and Iorder the MARK AUGUSTINE I DJoJI.Y~UNDW. school. Learning Resource Center and Chicken Kabob plate, which Rose (pictured) and her daughter Denise run My Hero. a submarine sandwich L.A. Grill Mediterranean part-time faculty. shop on the comer of Plummer and Reseda. Cuisine is a fairly new place, "It's never packed, even See EATERIES, page 3 I INDEX OPINION SPORTS TODArs WEATHER Opinion 8 PROPOsmON 83 Women's Basketball Daily Spotlight 9 season preview Classifieds 10 & II Sports .4, II, 12 SEE PAGE'S SEE PAGE 12 Sunny '~ HIQH'75 LOW 51 2 • Daily Sundial· CSUN • Tuesday, October) 1,2006 DIWS----~--------------------- A.S. senator plans for rest of semester a Web space to exchange committee began work A.S,R.E.C. and student -NEWS BRIEFS Igor Kagan and post books exclusively more than a month ago and skateboarders to get a skate for CSUN students. Kagan expects there to be club going. Kagan said 1D process According to Kagan, more healthy food choices they are in the preliminary of designing the only hitch so far has on campus by the end of the stages of looking for Fontana city council looking been reviewing the campus semester. potential locations on toward Kansas City as model skateboarding bookstore's contract and The comminee is campus for skaters, but the the' no competition clause. working on a proposal" 10 main. problem is campus FONTANA, Calif. (AP) - Local leaders are looking at solutions Fortunately for students, the University Corporation . liability in the event of an Kansas City, Kan., as a model for the city's future develop- the competition rule will Ihat will generally focus on injury. The committee is ment, officials said. SAMWQMACK not apply to the proposed the way food is made, not working toward alternatives City council members, county supervisors and officials DAILY SUNDIAL Web site. All that is left the specific food. They plan like waivers for students at the California Speedway visited Kansas Speedway last for a functioning site is to on continuing with student to sign, instead of skaters Associated Students week to see how that city used the race track to encourage write the code and it should surveys and Kagan said the getting issued fines. Senator and 'Director of economic growth. be up and running by next committee is "on the verge _The university affairs the University Affairs "The belief has been.Kansas City, Kan., has done an effec- semester, if not the end of of recommendation." committee also recently Committee Igor Kagan tive job of creating an economy based around the speedway, this semester. "It's a priority to have began looking into the where one did nOIexist prior to the speedway arriving," Fon- expects to have projects The, idea of having healthy students," Kagan increased rares for renting like the free online book tana Mayor Mark Nuaimi said. healthier food on campus said. rooms and locations on exchange, healthier food on Developers in Kansas City have built a 4OO-acreretail and came from a student who The other project the. campus. Kagan said the campus and solutions for entertainment complex next to the speedway. The so-called brought the issue up with committee is working on rates have been raised Village west development is seen as a driving force in that CSUN skateboarders by the A.S. The University Affairs is a solution for CSUN significantly in the lest area's economic renewal. end of the semester. committee has begun by skateboarders as requested few years and hopes that Kagan said the online scheduling meetings with the committee can ease the Supervisor Paul Blane said he plans to ask the: board to by students.