The presence or absence of a weblog is a red herring. Instructors have a responsibility to provide information to students about the course, but whether it is a weblog, a simple web page, paper handouts, or a series of in-class announcements, is only mildly related to the quality of the course.

Creating a learning environment is not the same as selling a product. It is not helpful to students to “spoon-feed” them the course material. It is not helpful to the students to reveal to them everything about the course.

I also do not think how much time I spend preparing lectures and assignments is relevant to the students. Is amount of prep time is an indication of quality of the lecture or assignment?

Tooo many students already have a view of themselves as customers receiving a product rather than participating in a process. Too many students see the final grade as the end goal rather than what they have learned.

Many University courses, and indeed the whole University system, could be impoved, but commercializing courses wll make matters worse.