Monthly Archives: December 2015

Editorial

NECC Observer Honored

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The NECC Observer recently learned that it was awarded an honorable mention in the 2014 New England College Newspaper of the Year contest.

The award is bestowed by the New England Society of News Editors.

The awards were handed out at NESNE’s 2014 spring conference at the New England Newspaper and Press Association headquarters in Dedham, but the Observer just received its plaque last week.

The Heights from Boston College was honored with first place, with The Gatepost of Framingham State University capturing second place and The Quinnipiac Chronicle of Quinnipiac University winning third place.

Along with the NECC Observer, The Defender of St. Michael’s College and The Brandeis Hoot of Brandeis University were also named honorable mention award-winners.

NESNE presents several prestigious awards each year, honoring those who have mastered the craft of journalism and “New England journalism’s most promising up-and-comers,” according to its website.

College newspapers at both large universities and small colleges enter the college newspaper of the year contest, which honors the region’s best student journalists

Under the supervision of faculty adviser, Mary Jo Shafer, the NECC Observer staff in 2014 included Editor-in-Chief Matt Gingras, Features Editor Everson Taveras, Opinion Editor Ashlee Ferrante, News Editor Chad Gorham, Campus Life Editor Kathryn Gagon, Entertainment Editor Faith Gregory,  Sports Editor Esther Nieves, Staff Writer Chrstina Hillner and Copy Editor Thomas Shamma.

Returning staff in fall 2014 included Faith Gregory as editor-in-chief, Copy Editor and Web Editor Thomas Shamma, News Editor Chad Gorham, Opinion Editor Ashlee Ferrante and Staff Writer Christina Hillner.

New staff in fall 2014 included Web Editor Danielle Coppola, Staff Writer Joe Meli, Entertainment  Editor Kim Whiting, Features Editor Rebecca Westerman and Sports Editor Mike Alongi.

Previous staff who returned for fall 2015 include Chad Gorham, who is now campus life editor, Joe Meli, copy editor, and Rebecca Westerman, arts and entertainment editor.  Kim Whiting is now the editor-in-chief

The 2014 NECC Observer was also honored as a  silver medalalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

News

Comparing online classes to traditional online learning

 

By Courtney Hanson, Correspondent

The likelihood of a community college student failing or dropping out of a course is far greater if taken online rather than in a traditional classroom or face to face setting with an instructor.

According to an April 2015 study done by the UC-Davis Community College, students opting to take their classes online rather than in a classroom are 11 percent more likely to either fail or not complete that course. The researchers behind the study noted that their findings closely match those discovered by others in various states throughout the U.S.

This research shows that online courses are not successful for community college students. This is elaborated on in the New York Times editorial, “The Trouble with Online College,” which reflects yet more research found by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center: “The research has shown over and over again that community college students who enroll in online courses are significantly more likely to fail or withdraw … which means that they spent hard earned tuition dollars and get nothing in return.”

The reason for an online course’s lack of success can be numerous and may pertain to either the student, the instructor, the structure and formatting of the class, or a combination of all.

According to the Times editorial, one of the most likely reasons is a lack of engagement. Many students need contact with their professors in order to find the comfort integral to their success, yet cannot find it within online courses.

Instead, “what they get online is estrangement from the instructor who rarely can get to know them directly.”

Because of the absence of personal contact with professors and other students, NECC Liberal Arts major Shirley Rodriguez said taking courses online would likely be much more difficult for her. “I need to be present in the class, surrounded by others, able to interact,” she said.

Shirley has opted away from taking any of her courses online, and plans to remain in the security of the classroom setting.

Jesse Howlette, a second year Liberal Arts major, said that the lack of success in online courses is directly rooted in their structure.

“To me, it has nothing to do with trying harder,” Howlette said. “It’s because of the vague structure and setup of the classes.”

Howlette said that if there were a more definitive and universal outline put in place for online classes they could in fact, be successful.

The Times editorial supports this criticism of online course structure: “The design and production of online community college courses are decentralized and primitive.”

It proceeds to criticize the often basic, instructor-created PowerPoint presentations, which do very little to engage students and present information in a digestible way.

Arianna Stevenson, an NECC graduate and UMass Lowell business major, has had vast experience with online courses at both institutions.

In her experience, the lack of success in an online course can be directly attributed to the student. Stevenson said that students’ perceived lack of accountability, and lack of motivation, causes them to put forth less effort and thus get lesser results.

“When you’re in community college a lot of people don’t have the motivation to move forward and may not be taking their education as seriously as they do at a four-year college,” she said.

This statement is supported by rigorous research — according to the Hechinger Report — which has found that four-year colleges have vastly different completion results for online classes. Unlike community colleges, four-year colleges see absolutely no difference between the success rate of students enrolled in online courses compared to traditional classroom courses.

Regardless of the research, many community colleges will continue to increase the amounts of online courses offered to the students.

As the Hechinger Report put it, “Community college leaders aren’t blind to research evidence. Many know from their own student records that the students aren’t faring well.

But the community college sector is suffering declines, and offering online classes is a huge selling point to prospective students.”

Campus Life, News

Trainees trigger debate on campus

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Opinions on campus regarding the addition of the Methuen Police Academy and Essex County Sheriff’s Department vary widely. The debate began on the quad and in the hallways but quickly has moved into Student Senate meetings, the pages of the NECC Observer and even onto social media. Former student Faith Gregory encountered a training activity on campus in late October that she found to be particularly aggressive and inappropriate for a college campus. She voiced her thoughts on Facebook and a heated argument ensued. She also wrote a letter to the editor which ran in the last issue of the NECC Observer. Also during this training activity, members of Little Sprouts were using the field in front of the D building for their daily walk. Observer staff noticed a child who seemed to be upset by the activities.

After seeing photos of the training, Erin Davis, an Early Childhood Education major and former teacher at Little Sprouts, said, “As a 3-year-old … they don’t understand practice, that they’re not really hurting each other. Shouting messes with a kids head… they think people are mad when they scream, so now they think everyone out on the campus is mad.”

Maureen Bly is the director of the Little Sprouts program. She said that even though their gym time has been limited by the presence of the police academies, she and the parents have been overall happy to have them on campus.

“…They talk to the kids, they give the kids little badges, so we haven’t really had any problems with having them here.”

Bly did say, though, that the teachers should not have continued their walk during that activity and that she was unaware of the level of aggression being displayed on the field in front of the D building.

“No, I’d rather the kids not see all that. I was unaware that was taking place,” Bly said. “I wish they would notify us so we would know. We wouldn’t be out walking around while they’re doing it. I don’t know how appropriate it is to do it out [in front of] the college kids either.”

Students have expressed strong opinions on both sides of this issue. Sienna Smeland-Wagman was taking a quiz in Environmental Studies when the training exercise began that October day. “I heard a violent yell and the first thing I thought was ‘school shooting,’” Smeland-Wagman said. “It seems very dehumanizing. What I see is so violent and aggressive.”

Brian Ducey agrees that the level of violence being displayed can be upsetting. “They are just the most distracting thing I’ve ever seen,” said Ducey, who was particularly concerned with the idea that these trainees had only been training for a few weeks and felt that the emphasis of their training should be on de-escalating violent situations.

“Clearly it’s very aggressive, they’re constantly yelling. Right now, they’re just beating pads with nightsticks just to get … how to more efficiently beat someone down. It just really confuses me.”

Other students, such as Sheila Rivera and Vianca Santa, enjoy watching them practice. “I think it’s cool. I like to watch them,” said Rivera, who felt that it’s interesting to see training drills that many people would not usually have the opportunity to experience.

Devin Ditomaso is also not bothered by their presence on campus. “It doesn’t disrupt me at all,” he said. Although, as we continued to watch, he stated, “A big group of them just ran over there. (Someone close to me) has PTSD… if she was in that group and all those guys suddenly just ran over to her, she would have froze right the hell up in panic.”

The issue was exacerbated a few days after the October exercise, when Methuen Police Academy trainees were running a drill in the stairways of the C building.

In this drill, which was conducted during active school hours, trainees were climbing the staircase with fingers pointed to simulate aiming a gun while shouting “Clear!”

Students entering the stairwell were surprised by the encounter, to say the least.

Concerns were raised in a Student Senate meeting. According to the minutes, NECC Vice President David Gingerella said that “he was told by the academy that the event regarding cadets pointing finger guns at students had not occurred.”

NECC administration has addressed a few of the concerns by moving some of the training activities to the other side of the D building.

In order to better answer questions and address any lingering issues, an event has been scheduled for Dec. 2 in the Hartleb Technology Center in which students, instructors and administrators will be able to meet and express their concerns.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with an opportunity for informal introductions. This will be followed by brief informational speeches by representatives from both academies, NECC administration and Student Senate, concluding with a question and answer session.

In the meantime, any questions or issues can be addressed by contacting George Moriarty, executive director of Workforce Development at gmoriarty@necc.mass.edu.

The NECC Observer will follow up on this story as more information becomes available.