“You Can’t Predict the Future But You Can Plan for It”

The following are ten important questions concerning the future of distance learning:

• Will faculty adapt? The pay isn’t great, but the job of a full-time faculty member is really very nice. By tradition a faculty member controls his own work; functions independently; gets to perform by lecturing; and has adequate time for study, reflection and interaction with stimulating colleagues. The use of technology in education, and particularly in distance learning, requires cooperation, teamwork, performing a role in an organized structure, more effort in design than in delivery, and less self-directed time. Quite simply, it is counter-culture for faculty. Will sufficient numbers of faculty adjust to permit institutions to design and deliver educational services in new ways?
• Will online education grow through shadow colleges? In many instances, rather than face the obstacles presented by traditional faculty, the existing work rules, union contracts, and faculty attitude, many institutions have created new organizations outside of the basic institution. These organizations have new salary schedules, reward systems and work policies. Will this be the only way that colleges can restructure? Can these organizations exist within traditional institutions?
• Will college administrations adopt new, more sophisticated planning and/or management systems? While it will be difficult for faculty to adapt to new delivery arrangements, it will also be difficult for administration. In educational budgets, management has typically been concerned with only three variables — classrooms, mean class size and professors. The use of information technology and online education introduces a myriad of new cost elements that have to be worked into the basic cost structure. New and more sophisticated planning/management systems must be put into place, or the new arrangements will simply cost more and will not be practical to initiate.
• Will state bureaucracies establish a single online education institution? It is no secret that in recent years state legislatures and bureaucracies have increased their control and decision-making with regard to public higher education. In a number of states significant appropriations are being made to develop infrastructures for distance learning. The question that will be asked is, “if distance programs are expensive to develop, and if all of our sites are tied together, why not have one organization that delivers these services statewide.” Colleges and universities need to prepare to answer that question.
• Will funds become available to develop quality learning software that uses the full capability of information technology? To date, substantial state appropriations for online education have gone for infrastructure, equipment and networks. While these are useful, there is real question as to the need for these expenditures. There are so many networks (for example, the Internet) available to use. Important advancements in learning can be made if significant appropriations are shifted to learning software. This software should use the full capabilities of information technology and the research on adult learning.
• How will learning be certified? In the United States each institution basically makes its own decisions with regard to what learning will be credited. Very often decisions are based on a well entrenched “not invented here” syndrome. As increasing numbers of individuals register for courses and learn through a wide array of institutions, there will be a demand from the public for that learning to be assessed and credited toward degrees and certificates.
• Can colleges keep their certification monopoly? The strongest cards that colleges and universities hold in competing with private organizations in online education are prestige and certification control. To keep the certification monopoly. Colleges and universities are going to have to work with other organizations and be considerably more accommodating in recognizing learning that was not provided by their institution.
• How will on-campus and distance use of technology integrate? Much present online education is simply the extension of the lecture classroom to distance locations. But, there are few examples of the instructional software designed for distance coming back into use on campus. Materials that are developed that are time and place independent. As well as time variable. Can be used on campus with the addition of more interaction with college staff. This would provide new options for students and increase student volume. Thus providing more capability for greater expenditures on development of quality educational software.
• How can we substitute for the inspiration of personal interaction with faculty members? In all of my years at Miami-Dade Community College, I never received a letter complementing a college program without reference to a faculty member or other staff member who had inspired or contributed to the development of the writer. Almost all of us can point to an individual, very often a faculty member, who had major impact on our lives. Is there a way to keep that inspiration in an online education situation? Is there something to be substituted?

Working on your online degree at home enables you to learn in your own way and will allow you to decide just how quickly you want to earn your degree. One survey some time back, found that 55 percent of employers preferred traditional degrees over online degrees. In 1996, the University of Colorado at Denver expanded its metropolitan campus with the formation of CU Online, creating one of the first fully accredited online education programs offering online university degrees.

Today, you can easily learn a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or graduate degree online from a major university without ever having been in any one of their classrooms. Many of the long-time established colleges and universities are now offering online courses and online degree programs. The term online degrees refers to college degrees (sometimes this includes high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs) that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of a computer connected to the Internet, rather than attending college in a traditional on-campus setting.

There any many scholarships, grants, education loans and other types of financial aid available today for distance learning or online degree programs. When seeking financial aid or an education loan for online degree, it’s important to know they are now readily available, which was not the case a few years ago.

Your reading skills should be above average to be a good online degree student. Of the many types of online degrees available today they include: interior design degree online, online law degree, education, engineering, paralegal, computer science degree, nutrition, mechanical engineering, music, nursing, animal behavior, and online history degree.

It has been reported that employers think that an employee receiving an online education degree compared favorably, in terms of the knowledge learned, to someone who has a resident degree. Make sure that any online credits you earn are transferable; ask the institution directly or in person if possible because most schools vary from course to course and with individual school policy.

If the institution offers successful job placement after graduation or completion of your online course, this may be the deciding factor in your program search. Ask the counselors or representatives handling the accredited online degree program or bachelor degree online program what the job prospects are. Some of the types of online degrees available include: associate degree, bachelor degree, master degree and doctorate degree online.

And do make sure you know that your credits will be transferable into the college or university you plan to attend if you plan to transfer in the future. Check and double-check this with the counselor at both schools. Whether you want to earn an associate degree online, a bachelor’s degree online or even a master’s or doctorate degree online, know that most online programs are fully accredited, but make sure to check this out before you commit to any program. Today if you want to earn a degree while you’re working or you’re just a busy person with a busy schedule and don’t have to go to school on campus, know that getting an online degree just isn’t as hard as it used to be.