The Redgate Read On Online Learning

The University of Maryland University College, which is primarily online, has a black student population of over 28,000, which represents about 32 percent of its student body. That’s an amazing and commendable accomplishment. And while many colleges have black graduation rates that lag their share of the student body, I recently read where UMUC black students receive 30 percent of degrees from the university. This accomplishment was recently cited at the annual meeting of the American Council on Education. It was specifically mentioned as an example of how online education can improve access for minority or low-income populations.

The more I have become entrenched in the world on online and distance learning, the more I have come to realize that online education can be a powerful tool to reach and educate different populations.

I ran across a decent article today on online learning and time management. In fact, this is one of my mantras that I preach to the students who I instruct online. Here is an excerpt: Read the rest of this entry »

The journey of earning your degree begins with this question — Why Is An Online Degree Important To You?  All the advice and information you receive from family, friends, associates, admissions counselors, and blogs like mine can not answer that question for you.  You must answer that question — it must be the first step you take in this journey.

So is the primary reason you are wanting that degree for prestige, more money, a new career, acceptance?  Although each of these could be an outcome of earning your degree they should not be the main motivating factors.  Is it because studying online is flexible, convenient, and, in most cases, more affordable?  Those might be some of the benefits but they can not be the true reasons. 

You see, today there is a new class of adult, non-traditional students emerging – those who studies out of passion and curiosity — a true lifelong learner.  This type of learner translates that passion in the online classroom to the workplace and becomes a dynamic boss, manager, or employee.  

Rankings for online programs continue to become more prevalent.  It probably has to do with accredited online degree programs becoming more popular and online learning become more acceptable even in traditional academic circles.  I just ran across rankings for distance learning MBA programs in the Economist.  Most of the schools listed are U.K. based although the top spot is a U.S. based school (University of Florida.)  I am still looking into what criteria was used but here is an excerpt: Read the rest of this entry »