Online Degrees Truly Revolutionizing College Education

There is no doubt that online degrees have taken off nationally. In one of the more perceptive remarks about such programming, Dave Breitenstein while writing for newspress.com offers this astute assessment:

“Notebooks, chalkboards and even attendance aren’t vital in 21st century college classrooms.”

Incredible Growth
According to a 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, 3.5 million college students were involved in at least one online course last fall. While the majority of college students still fall under the traditional umbrella, more and more students are at least opting to mix their schedules today, adding an online course or two to their traditional fare. Such a mixture has been given the term “hybrid schedule.”

Breitenstein notes the significant change in Southwest Florida. The relatively brand new Florida Gulf Coast University offered 30 virtual courses when it opened in 1997.This semester the school is offering 189 online courses. Over at Southwest Florida College data indicates that almost 29 percent of students at the school take at least one virtual course.

Yesterday’s Technology Obsolete
What is interesting to note is how much online learning has changed since FGCU opened in 1997. At the time courses often featured taped lectures to be viewed on VCR’s while others did involve the personal computer though most of the work likely came on a disk or CD to be uploaded.

Today VCR’s and CD-Roms are essentially a thing of the past. Videos are streamed directly to the student who downloads it onto his/her own computer. At most of the schools, professors still hold office hours for possible face-to-face contact but much of the communication today is now done through e-mail and chat rooms devoted to a particular course of study.

Still Too Expensive
One current drawback to the online movement is that such course work is still expensive. Though there is no need for a classroom, heat and lights, et al, most schools charge the same rate for an online course as for a regular offering. In addition, many of the private, for profit, online schools charge above average tuition fees.

By the same token more and more people are willing to pay the fee for the convenience of studying where they want, when they want, and for how long they want. The convenience of being able to work and raise a family while still pursuing coursework seems to make the price immaterial given the additional conveniences.