Bill Boyer's Blog

The Limits of the Virtual Campus

When my parents attended college, professors did not start class by asking “Did everyone get my email about the homework?” or “Remember to turn your essays in using the digital drop box.” The obvious reason for this is that these technologies hadn’t yet been invented. On the contrary, my college experience thus far has been filled with online applications, hundreds of emails, PowerPoints, and many more activities requiring internet access. In fact, during the first two weeks of school when my internet didn’t work, I was left utterly helpless. While at one time college activities were conducted using merely “physical” writing, “virtual” writing has increasingly become a larger part of the college life.

When my parents attended college, professors did not start class by asking “Did everyone get my email about the homework?” or “Remember to turn your essays in using the digital drop box.” The obvious reason for this is that these technologies hadn’t yet been invented. On the contrary, my college experience thus far has been filled with online applications, hundreds of emails, PowerPoints, and many more activities requiring internet access. In fact, during the first two weeks of school when my internet didn’t work, I was left utterly helpless. While at one time college activities were conducted using merely “physical” writing, “virtual” writing has increasingly become a larger part of the college life.

Since the time when technology allowed us to communicate via the internet, colleges have become more and more dependent on the feature. As a result, much of the writing involving admission, classes, and extra-curricular activities in today’s world use the aspect of the “virtual campus”. This transition was very gradual and brought us to the point where we are now: Writing on campus is shared between the physical and virtual worlds, each of which are able to complement the other effectively.

One of the unique characteristics of this generation is our dependence on technology. Similarly, the colleges that we attend feature many technologically advanced features such as online classes, e-suds laundry, Mediavision, Blackboard, and many more. Some of these advancements, such as email,have become the preferred method of writing and dominate the genre. Others, like Mediavision (online videos of lectures), are used only to complement what was already said in the physical world (or for students who slept through the lecture). Another example of an effective complement to class is blackboard. This tool enables students to see their grades, homework, lecture slides, and any other messages their professors might have. However, blackboard, again is only a supplemental form of writing and does not replace the writing and learning that occurs in the physical world.

Below is Blackboard: An online tool for professors and students alike to check schedules, grades, homework, etc.

Although the physical writing used around colleges may be declining due to the emergence of virtual writing, there is a limit to the extent that this can continue. Indeed, online classes are available, and a student could potentially never attend a lecture and watch all of them on Mediavision. However, I highly doubt such an individual would find much success due to the fact that focusing in one’s own dorm is much more difficult than focusing while physically being at the class. Additionally, there will always be a need for eye-catching artwork, sculptures, and architecture around college campuses which add a great deal of atmosphere. While emails may travel faster than the human foot, the experiences are incomparable.

Harkness Chapel

Physical writing around the campus has other aspects that virtual writing will never be able to impede upon. There is a reason why my acceptance letter to Case Western came as a letter as well as why fraternities hand out bids with formal envelopes and hand-written signatures. Virtual writing lacks the personality and element of humanism that appears with physical writing. As a result, the most important and endearing pieces of writing will always be found in the physical world. While some people may see a large continuation of the growth of virtual writing in the future, I also contend that limits are placed on this growth due to everyone’s need for personal and human contact.