Thank you
Ebber
Hi Folks,
Thank you
to those who completed our short survey. Your responses are very
valuable and will help us shape our program going forward. I appreciate
your candid responses in the "Feedback" section and thought I'd address
our move to an online format by providing a quick description of how we
plan to make this work.
Many of you thought the online program is
a good idea but voiced concern that the valuable "field work" component
of courses would be lost. We thought of that too. Here is the plan. We
will pilot the online program first in the Northwest and Northern
California. Once satisfied that all systems are working, we'll start
moving it east across the US. (Big picture end game). The "systems" are
the connections we have established with our public / private utilities
to provide the valuable field-work activities that so many of you
mentioned as a key learning component. When an online student takes our
classes, she/he will come to a point where there is a natural need for
an outside activity, (think blower door test, lamp source ID, commercial
building energy audit), which is when the connection between the
student and "Field-work Mentor" will occur. The Field-work Mentor will
take the student into the field for the prescribed activity, (explain
the system, operate the blower door, determine the direction of air flow
etc), and submit a learning check list when she/he feels the student
understands the objectives. Field work done, hands-on learning intact!
Hopefully
that gives you confidence that the online program will include
meaningful field work. I think the only downside will be that students
won't be interacting in the traditional sense of a classroom rather,
their interaction will be virtually online.
Thanks again for
responding to our survey. If you haven't responded, the survey will
remain open until the end of January but don't delay - get it in soon!
If each of you recommend the program to one person, we can resolve this
low enrollment issue quickly!
Thanks