Combined courses leave more to be desired

The quality of education is degraded when introductory and advanced classes are concurrently taught.

Opinion by Ava Rosate, Staff Writer

Photography Professor Kelly Battle teaches her Photography 010 students in a combined night class with Portfolio Development 150 students in the Administration and Career Advancement building in room 2604. (Griffin O'Rourke | Valley Star)

Out of the 22 programs Valley offers, 14 of them are taught in a combined course setting — classes that simultaneously cater to introductory and advanced students. Students who are subjected to learning in a watered down combined course setting can become easily unsatisfied and disadvantaged due to the unbalanced teaching methods that come with the format of the class.

“Some classes are offered in a co-enrolled way,” said President Barry Gribbons.“Where multiple classes are offered in the same space at the same time. That sometimes is used when individually, there is not enough demand for the classes . We often see that in art classes, but it could be in other disciplines too.”

Art students aren’t the only ones who are suffering. Subjects that require hands-on learning such as math, nursing and foreign language are three of the programs that offer concurrent courses. If students are not properly educated in classes that traditionally require more time, they may be under qualified to enter their field, or the students will go into their chosen field lacking the tools they need to properly execute their career.

Due to low enrollment, the school has had to implement combined courses in major subjects such as photography, communications and sports classes. Students should not have to sacrifice their education and time because of low turnout. Although the college decided to merge classes due to low enrollment the problem could be solved by instead offering.

The school should offer one online option, either to the advanced or beginner class, that would divide the two classes and create an environment more conducive to learning. Online classes should be offered as options for all of the courses that are in a combined setting. Even if the courses are not face to face, students can receive the full time contractually agreed to them, in-turn greatly benefiting the quality of their education.

Because the teachers of combined courses are left juggling between two distinct classes, less individual attention is provided to students. By dividing class time in half, teachers are left rushing through subjects or leaving out important concepts to cater to each group's curricular needs. The quality of education is degraded when an instructor is unable to teach a course for the full time the students had signed up for.

Lower courses have the upper hand when competing for class time due to higher enrollment numbers. Because of this dynamic, advanced students are wasting time listening to lectures that they have already gone through and introductory students are left feeling confused listening to lectures that they are not prepared for.

Students will not know if they are signing up for a combined course unless they diligently research their courses in the catalog. It is deceitful not to tell students immediately and clearly that they are registering for a concurrent course. Considering the class time students have registered for will be cut in half.

Implementing online classes that cater to students who do not learn well in a concurrent class setting and making it clearly known to students that they are registering for a concurrent course would be a step in the right direction for Valley. Valley should take the initiative to make learning accessible to students of all levels.