Argument Analysis

[Tinamary]

Please review the argument essay.

The following is a letter from a professor at Xanadu College to the college's president.

"The development of an extensive computer-based long-distance learning program will enhance the reputation of Xanadu College. This program would allow more students to enroll in our courses, thereby increasing our income from student tuition. Traditional courses could easily be adapted for distance learners, as was shown by the adaptation of two traditional courses for our distance learning trial project last year. Also, by using computer programs and taped lectures, faculty will have fewer classroom obligations and more time to engage in extensive research, thereby enhancing the reputation of Xanadu."
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The letter from a professor at Xanadu College to the college’s president rests on the fact that extensive computer based long- distance learning program will enhance the reputation of the college. Presumably, the professor intends to achieve what is good for the college. However, the professor’s claim in the proposal seems unsubstantial and the proposal might fail to achieve its goal or even have perverse effect of worsening the quality of education in the college.

The reputation of a college does not depend on its innovative programs alone. It would depend on the academic programs, cost, location, services, facilities/technology and various other factors. Hence, the author’s claim of enhancing the reputation by this proposal alone is invalid. Though this development subsumes all the students, only few would be interested in distant learning program. The author fails to assert his claim with proper statistics, including number of students interested in the program. Also, the motive of the proposal – to increase the fee as a result of computer based learning would not be welcomed by the students. This could significantly reduce the number of students and could adversely affect the reputation of college. The professor tend to ignore the baneful consequences of the proposal’s implementation.

The weakness of the claim lies, in part in the ambiguity of the claim. The professor fails to clearly state the courses that are intended to be a part of the computer based long distant learning. Though he mentions traditional courses, he fails to specify them. Also, computer based distant learning alone would not suffice for technical courses and courses like physics and chemistry. The lack of clarity weakens the authors claim.

Although the ostensible purpose of the last claim made by the professor is to ease the obligations of faculty, computer based distant learning could have an adverse effect. As mentioned by the professor, the obligations would not be reduced considerably, it would require extensive work in setting up the portal for the computer based classes, in solving and analyzing the intricacies related to it. Moreover, the classes would have to be updated regularly; professors would be obligated to clarify doubts, interpersonal effectiveness would not be ensured and issues due to slow connection would further affect the quality. Also, exams and practical classes would call for more efforts from the faculty. Likewise, the long distant program would not be able to check the participation of students, thereby reducing the quality of education.

The author might be correct in assessment of the development of an extensive computer based long distant program to some extent. However, few flaws in his proposal weaken his claims. The author fails to augment his premise with data. If for example, he provided survey results from the faculty and students, a feasibility analysis or statistics indicating the number of students who would be benefiting from this program, courses intended for long distance learning and a comprehensive comparative study of the success of the computer based learning in other colleges, the author’s argument would be far more persuasive. Were these the case, the professor’s call for an extensive computer based distant learning program would have been justified.

[Kitosdad]

So very good Tina. Your reasoning shows a bright and clear mind.

Kitos. 10/10 *****
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Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Tinamary]

Wooow..Thanks Kitos.