[originaltext]M: Hi, Lynn, I saw you at registration yesterday. I sailed right

M: Hi, Lynn, I saw you at registration yesterday. I sailed right through, but you were standing in a long line.
W: Yeah, I waited an hour to sign up for a distance-learning course.
M: Distance learning? Never heard of it.
W: Well, it’ s new this semester—it’ s only open to psychology majors. But I bet it’ll catch on elsewhere. Yesterday over a hundred students signed up.
M: Well, what is it?
W: It’ s an experimental course. I registered for child psychology. All I’ ve got to do is watch a twelve-week series of televised lessons. The department shows them several different times a day and in several different locations.
M: Don’ t you ever have to meet with your professor?
W: Yeah, after each pan of the series I have to talk to her and the other students on the phone, you know, about our ideas. Then we’ll meet on campus three times for reviews and exams.
M: It sounds pretty nontraditional to me, but I guess it makes sense, considering how many students have jobs. It must really help with their schedules not to mention how it’ll cut down on traffic.
W: You know, last year my department did a survey and they found out that 80 percent of all psychology majors were employed. That’ s why they came up with the program. Look, I’ll be working three days a week next semester, and it was either cut back on my classes or try this out.
M: The only thing is—doesn’ t it seem impersonal, though? I mean, I’d miss having class discussions and hearing what other people think.
W: Well, I guess that’ s why phone contact’ s important. Anyway, it’ s an experiment. Maybe I’ll end up hating it.
M: Maybe, but ... I’ll be curious to see how it works out.