Wise up; don’t let yourself be sucked into the whirlpool of online education scams and diploma mills. Ensure that you get the most out of your online degree by following these pointers.
- Enroll in a reputable school that is accredited by agencies that are recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
- Choose a course that is as demanding as a regular one.
- Avoid shelling out more money in the hopes of earning a degree faster; the degree you so earn will not be worth the paper it is printed on.
- If you are enrolled in a legitimate degree program, you are eligible for federal financial aid. Utilize this opportunity to reduce your tuition costs through grants and loans.
- Check out the syllabus of the course and find out who will be handling classes.
- Learn more about the real-world value of the course from those who have graduated from the institution.
- If you are embarking on this endeavor with a particular job in mind, find out from prospective employers if they will recognize the degree you wish to pursue.
The three key players in any distance education scenario are students, instructors and the administration of the institution. Each of these players is affected in both positive and negative ways by entering the online learning environment.
Distance learning students have the benefit of a flexible study system that will fit their lifestyle. They also develop discipline, dedication, and a positive attitude towards learning. In addition, they do not have to cope with the hassles and stress of commuting to and from campus every day. But on the other side of the coin lie the potential for isolation and distraction, lack of concentration, and hindered social development. Often, credit earned from one school is not accepted at another, and many employers do not consider an online degree on par with a regular one.
In the case of teachers of online courses, they can work from where they chose, and thus reduce the problems associated with transportation and commuting. But they also have a bigger cross to bear than face-to-face instructors since they have to motivate and educate students who have no connection with them except virtually. Quite often, the curriculum and syllabus are framed by some people who are too caught up in the technology, while the responsibility of teaching the courses falls on the shoulders of others who cannot grasp the complexity of the medium. Fears of unemployment also exist, as fewer teachers are needed to handle a large number of online students.
The school administration gains the advantages of providing education at a lower cost and of utilizing the latest advances in technology. They can also employ a smaller number of teaching staff. But the initial costs incurred for equipment, security, retraining and consultation tend to be on the high side.
Online education is growing by leaps and bounds, but so is the number of dropouts from the online stream of learning. Vicky Phillips, founder of Geteducated.com, a consulting agency for distance educators, estimates that around 35 percent of online students drop out of college. The average attrition rate for college freshmen at U.S. universities is around 20 percent. Various reasons are attributed to this high dropout rate:
- The learning program does not fit the student’s needs.
- The student has gained what he/she wanted out of the course, and sees no further use in continuing the same.
- The high level of discipline and commitment needed to cope with the demands of an online degree.
- The distractions of everyday life like television, family, work, children, and other commitments.
- The lack of online instructors’ personalized interest in the progress of their students.
Bits, a course offered online to students of Harvard University’s Extension School, has made it to the top of Harvard Crimson’s list of ten notable courses for the spring semester. The list, which is featured on the online edition of the Harvard Crimson, the daily student newspaper of Harvard University, ranks the most notable, curious and new-fangled courses for Harvard College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences students. Bits is the first undergraduate course at Harvard to be podcast. Though lectures will still be immediately accessible online, by the end of the course, all lectures will also be available for downloading as podcasts through iTunes, according to Professor Harry R. Lewis.
Read more about Bits.
Online education is coming closer to being recognized as an equal to traditional learning with Ivy League universities like Harvard and Columbia entering the fray. In spite of resistance from the Ivy League community in implementing online and distance learning, the most prestigious institutions are slowly testing the waters by offering professional and executive degrees.
If you’re interested in attending one of the numerous ivy league universities which now offer classes online, search a complete listing of schools with our online university degree finder tool:
Teachers College, a school within Columbia University, started out by offering a few online courses, and followed them up with three certificate courses that are approved by the state of New York. A completely online master’s degree is also in the works, says Ann Armstrong, executive director of Center for Educational Outreach and Innovation at the College.
Cornell University has had over 8,000 students, delivered 24,000 unique courses, and serviced learners from 132 countries, says Chris Proulx, president and CEO of eCornell, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cornell University. To questions that skeptics may raise about bringing down the standards of the prestigious university, Proulx says that the students are accepted only if they meet the high expectations of the school.
The Harvard University Extension School offers 75 online courses for undergraduate or graduate credit through online videotaped lectures, along with other course materials. Though none of the courses are fully online, the words of Harvard president Lawrence Summers lead one to think that Ivy League schools are not very far off from opening their portals to more online scholars __ "Information technology offers the potential to multiply manifold the number of students and scholars with access to Harvard’s unique intellectual resources," he said, and encouraged the schools "to think creatively and boldly about how they can extend the reach of their excellence through technology in the years ahead."
Harvard University is providing its Extension School degree and certificate students the chance to take part in a series of seminars designed to introduce the basics of entrepreneurial finance. The mini-MBA seminars that are being offered through the the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at the Harvard Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences (DEAS), aim to impart a working familiarity with the fundamental financial tools of business to scientists and engineers. The ten seminars will be delivered every week, starting from February 16 and winding up on April 24.
Read more on the seminars.
If you’re still hesitant about the appropriateness of taking an online course, you can check out the sample lectures on the Harvard Extension School website. The site offers a taste of what’s in store for distance education students of the Harvard University. Presently featured are four lectures, one each in the subjects of Government (Justice) and History (The History of Boston), and two related to Statistics (Introduction to Biostatistics).
For high school migrant students who need to earn a few more credits before they graduate from high school, the University of Texas at Austin offers a Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program. The program, allows students who are not able to attend regular high school for various reasons, to exploit the advances in distance learning technologies like notebook computers, online courses, and telephony, to achieve their goal of graduating from high school.
Among the resources placed at the students’ disposal are access to Spanish and English-speaking staff members through toll-free numbers, and sessions for parents on how to help their children. The program won the 1996 Significant Achievement in Independent Study Award from the National University Continuing Education Association and the 1996 Distinguished Credit Program Award by the Region VII Association for Continuing Higher Education.
Online learning has its advantages, but the reward is reaped only if you put in enough dedication and hard work. No amount of dedication and discipline will help if you do not set goals for yourself.
You can start by setting up an exclusive study area for your learning purposes. Use the space to stash your study material, your system, and all other paraphernalia related to your lessons. Allocate certain hours of the day to catch up on your assignments and to learn a few lessons. Formulate a timetable if you think it will help you stay focused. If you live with others, lay down some ground rules to be followed during your study hours, that your time is meant for learning alone, and that you are not to be disturbed.
Create an atmosphere that is most conducive for you to concentrate on your work. If you think you work best with music playing in the background, set up your CD system close by. Turn off your phone or screen the calls you have to absolutely answer.
More often than not, earning your degree online is a lonely and tedious process. If you can get in touch with your online classmates, arrange joint study sessions where you can discuss lectures and clear doubts. Studying is more fun if you have someone to set the pace and also guide you along.
In my book, appreciation is the most powerful form of motivation; it spurs you to aim higher and surpass yourself. Reward yourself with small treats for every milestone you reach, pat yourself on the back for every credit you earn. You will be inspired to stick to the path you have chosen and will reach your goal in the least possible time.
The first step in earning your degree or diploma is to decide if you want to do it the traditional way by enrolling in a regular college, or if the online and distance education options fit your lifestyle better. The next step is to decide on the subject of study and the best institution that offers courses based on it. If you’re stumped at this stage, you can always turn to Online Universities for help. The site has a comprehensive listing of all the certificate programs, associate, bachelors and masters degrees, and PhD and doctorate programs that are available online. Or if you have a preferred institution in mind, you can browse its offerings through links on the site.
