Thursday 10/3/13

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statenews.com | 10/03/13 | @thesnews Michigan State University’s independent voice

p o l i t ic s

poll: those under 30 tend to trust feds more By Michael Gerstein mgerstein@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

A recent Gallup poll shows public trust in the government is at an all-time low, but, perhaps counterintuitively, those under the age of 30 tend to be much more trusting than those over 30, according to a study earlier this year from the Pew Research Center.

College Libertarian leader Lucas Joncas says students need to hold politicians accountable for actions At MSU, the trend seems to hold true according to some student political leaders. Lucas Joncas, president of MSU’s College Libertarians, said he thinks younger people tend to not pay as close attention to politics and policy as their older counterparts might. Joncas said he thinks that lack of knowledge might lead some to foster a naive attitude. “Keeping track of the government is incredibly important to make sure they’re not abusing their power,” Joncas said. “They’re just like us — they have their own motivations. And those desires are, a vast majority of the time, not going to be in line with what we want them to do.” Joncas said while many students support some of the policy measures on the libertarian platform — such as opposition to drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan, and NSA spying — those who don’t tend to defend those programs more vehemently than older people he encounters. Still, he says those students are few and far between. Curtis Audette, a social relations and policy junior and communications director for the Michigan Federation of College Democrats, handles voter registration for the group on campus. He said many stuSee POLLING on page 2 u

In need of a bike between class?

Improv and lots of laughter at RCAH

ASMSU looking into bike rental program on campus

Second City comedy visits campus Wednesday

campus+city, pg. 3

features, pg. 5

Cast members Rachel LaForce and Anthony Alfredo Danyelle Morrow/The State News

Portal to higher education Students, professors part of shifting online learning culture at MSU By Simon Schuster sschuster@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

I

magine a class that doesn’t cost anything. Anyone can join, and there’s no penalty for not completing the course — but usually, most don’t. A course without credit, where students never meet their professor. Some experts argue such a model could revolutionize education, while others argue it’s not a sustainable program. Either way, MSU has four of them. The courses are changing the way students and professors approach class activities, as MSU evaluates its overall online presence, including regular online courses. MSU’s four pilot Massively Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, have provided education to people all over the U.S. and the world. In a partnership between MSUglobal and MSU IT Service’s Learning Design and Technology, or LearnDAT, the pilot program has collaborated with faculty in different colleges to produce the courses on a number of different online platforms, utilizing WordPress, Moodle, Desire2Learn and social media. The courses are a tool to advance MSU’s agenda and enhance the university’s reputation globally, MSUglobal Director of Academic Entrepreneurship Jerry Rhead said. “We want to use MOOCs for some type of competitive advantage or for a way to move something forward, not just simply for mass exposure,” Rhead said. Rhead also said some participants in the MOOCs have gone on to look at or pursue one of MSU’s online degree

Danyelle Morrow/The State News

General management sophomore Austin Dickerson takes notes while viewing a slideshow for a hybrid philosophy class Wednesday in his West Shaw Hall dorm room. Dickerson said the class, which meets once a week in person.ww

“It’s definitely different — you have to adjust your schedule and the way you work to cope with studying for an online class. … I can just wake up at 2 p.m. and work. ” Austin Dickerson, General management sophomore

programs. One of the university’s MOOC courses, “Foundations of Science,” used Desire2Learn, the on line lea r ning plat for m that will eventually replace ANGEL. Course co-creator Stephen Thomas said the course engaged participants from 37 states and 37 different countries and provided him with a valuable learning experience in online education. “The first time you offer it is really an experiment that needs to be refined over multiple times,” Thomas said. The online experience For-credit online courses also have grown in popularity at MSU. The university offers more

ac t i v i s m

than 100 undergraduate and graduate courses v ia the Internet. So, going to class might not always involve a commute, but it does require an Internet connection sometimes. General management sophomore Austin Dickerson’s class is enrolled in a course taught online, save for a weekly 50-minute recitation, referring to it as a “blended” course. “It’s definitely different — you have to adjust your schedule and the way you work to cope with studying for an online class,” Dickerson said. “I definitely like it in the sense that ... I can just wake up at 2 p.m. and work at my own pace and on my own time.” Media and infor mation

By the numbers In a national Inside Higher Ed survey, 2,251 professors offered their feedback on online learning.

30

percent of respondents said they’ve taught online.

55

percent of professors who’ve taught online think online courses adequately answer student questions.

24 percent of professors

who have not taught online think online courses adequately answer student questions.

sophomore Dakota Johnston is enrolled in an online-only graphics class. He said he felt the type of course made it wellsuited to online instruction. “It’s definitely laid out really well,” Johnston said. “I’m really into it, so I have the drive to block out some space during my schedule (and) sit down and do

21

percent of professors agree or strongly agree “online courses can achieve student learning outcomes that are at least equivalent to those of in-person courses.”

4 percent of faculty

surveyed strongly agreed that Massive Open Online Courses are exciting for the future of academe.

SOURCE: Inside Higher Ed

the work.” Johnston said although he feels self-motivated in the course, he didn’t think that feeling would translate to other subject areas such as math or science. Beyond coordinating MOOCs, See LEARNING on page 2 u

football

Group protests Kellogg Company

Sims Jr., Harris see both sides of camera By Dillon Davis ddavis@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn

Khoa Nguyen/The State News

Education sophomore John Elliott, right, tells political science senior Jameil Hall, left, about the protest against Kellogg Company and their partnership with a company they say harms the habitat of Sumatran tigers Wednesday outside Espresso Royale on Grand River Avenue.

statenews.com To read about the group’s protest and responses from students, visit statenews.com.

Two of the most provocative voices in sports media belong to Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. Embracing debate ever y weekday on ESPN2’s “First Ta ke,” Sm it h and Bayless have b ecome synonymous Sims Jr. with topical but often sensationalized arguments spanning the entire spectrum of the sports world. And for better or worse, the duo consistently continue to bring in strong ratings by being the voices of a nation of opinionated sports fans. One day, that duty might fall to sophomore linebacker Darien Harris and sophomore wide receiver Andre Sims Jr. As the lone journalism students on the MSU football team (3-1), along with being

Julia Nagy/The State News

Youngstown State corner back Jamarious Boatwright tackles sophomore wide receiver Andre Sims Jr. on Sept. 14, 2013, at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Penguins, 55-17.

roommates, Harris and Sims are in the process of determining if they feel as comfortable in front of the camera as they do on the gridiron each weekend. “I definitely want to host my own show,” Harris said. “Maybe I’ll do sports or something. I love media, I love to voice my

opinion and I love to argue in that sense. “When my teammates come in talking about ‘Breaking Bad’, I always watch ‘SportsCenter’ for the umpteenth time.” After living together their freshman year, along with See SPARTANS on page 2 u


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