The Problem
The growth in online education over the past decade has been astonishing: a November 2011 report by the Babson Survey Research Group found that more than 6.1 million students took at least one online class during the fall of 2010, a 10% increase over the previous year and nearly four times the number of students taking online courses a decade ago. While some of these students are enrolled in traditional schools that offer certain courses online, many others take online courses through online institutions which offer a majority of their degree programs over the Internet. Still, concerns persist over the quality of online education and the usefulness of an online degree in getting a job. The main issue with online colleges seems to be that many online universities are run as for-profit entities. Online for-profit colleges have come under more scrutiny lately after a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggested that some for-profits were specifically targeting low-income and disadvantaged students along with the boat loads of government money (financial aid).
With fluctuations in the economy, increased technological competence, fast-paced lifestyles, geographic dispersion, and the need for workers to possess new skill sets and credentialing, the demand for online degrees has grown over the past decade (Conceição, 2007). Institutions offering online degrees have proliferated in the adult and higher education landscape to meet these needs. According to eLearners.com, there are currently over 170 accredited U.S. online colleges and universities that offer online Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in numerous fields (elearners.com, 2007). Adams and DeFleur (2005) state, “although there are some 678 non-resident degree programs available online, only a handful of these are fully accredited or taught from recognized institutions” (p. 72).
Furthermore, individual students invest thousands of dollars each year obtaining higher education. Increasingly, they select online degrees to reach that goal with the expectation of a sound return on investment. Adult students primarily choose online degrees to obtain credentialing for promotions and employment, as well as to cultivate lifelong learning while overcoming such potential barriers as full-time work responsibilities and remote geographic location. Nance (2007) suggests that minority students may also select online learning after experiencing racially discriminatory treatment in the traditional classroom. Despite the increasing interest in pursuing an online degree toward obtaining additional credentials, the economic climate causes students to place a high premium on whether online degrees translate into jobs or careers. This translation is dependent on the current hiring practices that are influenced by the organization’s hiring “gatekeeper’s” view.
Our Goal
This webpage is an effort to inform current and future prospective students about online universities, their rise in popularity, history, pitfalls and fight for legitimacy.
Reference
http://www.babson.edu/Academics/faculty/provost/Pages/babson-survey-research-group.aspx
The growth in online education over the past decade has been astonishing: a November 2011 report by the Babson Survey Research Group found that more than 6.1 million students took at least one online class during the fall of 2010, a 10% increase over the previous year and nearly four times the number of students taking online courses a decade ago. While some of these students are enrolled in traditional schools that offer certain courses online, many others take online courses through online institutions which offer a majority of their degree programs over the Internet. Still, concerns persist over the quality of online education and the usefulness of an online degree in getting a job. The main issue with online colleges seems to be that many online universities are run as for-profit entities. Online for-profit colleges have come under more scrutiny lately after a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggested that some for-profits were specifically targeting low-income and disadvantaged students along with the boat loads of government money (financial aid).
With fluctuations in the economy, increased technological competence, fast-paced lifestyles, geographic dispersion, and the need for workers to possess new skill sets and credentialing, the demand for online degrees has grown over the past decade (Conceição, 2007). Institutions offering online degrees have proliferated in the adult and higher education landscape to meet these needs. According to eLearners.com, there are currently over 170 accredited U.S. online colleges and universities that offer online Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in numerous fields (elearners.com, 2007). Adams and DeFleur (2005) state, “although there are some 678 non-resident degree programs available online, only a handful of these are fully accredited or taught from recognized institutions” (p. 72).
Furthermore, individual students invest thousands of dollars each year obtaining higher education. Increasingly, they select online degrees to reach that goal with the expectation of a sound return on investment. Adult students primarily choose online degrees to obtain credentialing for promotions and employment, as well as to cultivate lifelong learning while overcoming such potential barriers as full-time work responsibilities and remote geographic location. Nance (2007) suggests that minority students may also select online learning after experiencing racially discriminatory treatment in the traditional classroom. Despite the increasing interest in pursuing an online degree toward obtaining additional credentials, the economic climate causes students to place a high premium on whether online degrees translate into jobs or careers. This translation is dependent on the current hiring practices that are influenced by the organization’s hiring “gatekeeper’s” view.
Our Goal
This webpage is an effort to inform current and future prospective students about online universities, their rise in popularity, history, pitfalls and fight for legitimacy.
Reference
http://www.babson.edu/Academics/faculty/provost/Pages/babson-survey-research-group.aspx