Online College Reviews & Opinions about Online Schools

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

LawGirl — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:05:29 GMT

Frdsmth is partly correct. Forming student/professor and student/student relationships is crucial to education. But he/she is wrong about this not being possible at all online institutions. In short, some online schools have technology such that there is direct, live "real- time" interaction between the professors and students and among the students.

One online law school, where I attend, has this technology, namely the California School of Law. The School's website describes how this works:

"Students can speak with the professors and classmates by logging into a Virtual Classroom from a computer at home or work, to discuss cases and debate the law. The virtual classes meet each week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with students participating in live law school classes, where students can submit examinations, essays or memoranda of law for professors to grade, as well as study groups to discuss cases, trade class outlines, prep for tests and make friends and networking connections that last a lifetime."

One of my classmates is quoted as follows on the school's website: "The courses are taken in the convenience of your own home, yet you are able to interact with the professor and other students as if you were actually physically present with them in the classroom." Dana 1L

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

LawGirl — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:47:20 GMT

frdsmth9:

Education is not just reading material online, its a relationship between teacher and student, relationship between student and the school environment, relationship between student to student.Imagine what you would tell your children tomorrow that you did your master from Harvard University and you didn’t have a single friend, because you completed the course online.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

ericmoore — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:48:06 GMT

Glor seems to have captured exactly what I wanted to say but much more effectively :). Distance learning is the future of education and is here to stay irrespective. As long as your college is accredited, you will have no problem getting a job after you graduate. Employers in fact recognize the amount of effort and commitment it takes to complete an online degree. Graduating with an online degree is not a cakewalk. It requires discipline, determination and lots and lots of will power. But at the end of the day, armed with a graduate degree, which might have otherwise been impossible, you will be the one who will be reaping the benefits. So, ignore all those naysayers and continue with your plan for distance learning courses. All the best.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

SteveFoerster — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:49:10 GMT

spybreak:
I agree like on my case it's either stick with this job and hope someone hands me a promotion or get a distance degree and hopefully get something else better.

It sounds like you've decided to take charge of your own life and do the degree. Good for you!

-=Steve=-

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

spybreak — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:32:20 GMT

SteveFoerster:
kerri101:
I would say doing online learning was better then me not doing anything at all.
Good point. It can't be overstated that for a lot of people, the choice isn't between going to school online or going to school on campus, it's between between going to school online or nothing.
-=Steve=-

I agree like on my case it's either stick with this job and hope someone hands me a promotion or get a distance degree and hopefully get something else better.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Cajun — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:45:51 GMT

LawrieMiller:
frdsmth9:
Education is not just reading material online, its a relationshipbetween teacher and student, relationship between student and theschool environment, relationship between student to student.Imagine what you would tell your children tomorrow that you did yourmaster from Harvard University and you didn’t have a single friend,because you completed the course online.
I think there should be some limit to everything, but replacing thetraditional education with online is end of the education itself.
This misunderstanding - conflating the educational process and learning outcomes is depressingly common. It is borne of mysticism and steeped in practices of the occult.
With respect to the accrual of competencies, no pedagogy, no learning process, has value except as it relates to measurable outcomes. I have seen no data that expose any adverse delta in the performance of distance learning students relative to traditional students.
I once mentored a young man from Germany, Peter Glaeser through his undergraduate degree in Political Science. He earned nearly all credit by examination - that is, there was no flesh and blood teaching process at all to speak of. There were no relationships with kindly professors, no imposing buildings, no long walks on hallowed campus grounds, and I am sure that had Peter felt need of a friend, he'd have bought a dog.
During (sometimes heated) discussions on AED usnet (which long predated forums like this), many of the points frdsmth9 (Fred?) makes were presented. At one point a fierce opponent of stated, "The first time this wonder-boy gets into a real discussion with someone familiar with political science, I suspect he will come off looking rather poorly", a sentiment I suspect many of a similar mind shared.
In the end though, Peter was awarded his bachelor's degree and with it won a place at the University of Warwick, one of Britain's best universities, earning a Master's degree with distinction in Political Economy (no mean feat). He went on to a successful career in finance in Liechtenstein.
My experience with Peter is far from unique.
Fred declares that, "[ e]ducation is not just reading material online". Well, indeed it is not, but who has argued it is? Does Fred believe that that is the sum total of the online process, or does he believe that others are arguing it is so? Surely not. Education is about the accrual of competencies, nothing more, nothing less. There are many means to that end. Some are more economical of time, money and effort than others. Efficacy of any particular educational process can only be judged by measuring outcomes. The serious studies that have been conducted indicated there is no significant difference between traditional and non-traditional methodologies in terms of resulting competencies.

Great post!

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

SteveFoerster — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:33:04 GMT

Bravo, Lawrie, very well said.

-=Steve=-

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

LawrieMiller — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:18:14 GMT

frdsmth9:

Education is not just reading material online, its a relationship between teacher and student, relationship between student and the school environment, relationship between student to student.Imagine what you would tell your children tomorrow that you did your master from Harvard University and you didn’t have a single friend, because you completed the course online.

I think there should be some limit to everything, but replacing the traditional education with online is end of the education itself.

This misunderstanding - conflating the educational process and learning outcomes is depressingly common. It is borne of mysticism and steeped in practices of the occult.

With respect to the accrual of competencies, no pedagogy, no learning process, has value except as it relates to measurable outcomes. I have seen no data that expose any adverse delta in the performance of distance learning students relative to traditional students.

I once mentored a young man from Germany, Peter Glaeser through his undergraduate degree in Political Science. He earned nearly all credit by examination - that is, there was no flesh and blood teaching process at all to speak of. There were no relationships with kindly professors, no imposing buildings, no long walks on hallowed campus grounds, and I am sure that had Peter felt need of a friend, he'd have bought a dog.

During (sometimes heated) discussions on AED usnet (which long predated forums like this), many of the points frdsmth9 (Fred?) makes were presented. At one point a fierce opponent of stated, "The first time this wonder-boy gets into a real discussion with someone familiar with political science, I suspect he will come off looking rather poorly", a sentiment I suspect many of a similar mind shared.

In the end though, Peter was awarded his bachelor's degree and with it won a place at the University of Warwick, one of Britain's best universities, earning a Master's degree with distinction in Political Economy (no mean feat). He went on to a successful career in finance in Liechtenstein.

My experience with Peter is far from unique.

Fred declares that, "[ e]ducation is not just reading material online". Well, indeed it is not, but who has argued it is? Does Fred believe that that is the sum total of the online process, or does he believe that others are arguing it is so? Surely not. Education is about the accrual of competencies, nothing more, nothing less. There are many means to that end. Some are more economical of time, money and effort than others. Efficacy of any particular educational process can only be judged by measuring outcomes. The serious studies that have been conducted indicated there is no significant difference between traditional and non-traditional methodologies in terms of resulting competencies.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Kairos — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:52:29 GMT

Online education is a model that meets the needs of today's society: it is not constrained by time and physical space. The model of traditional education - at least in the US - was created for an agrarian society, which accounts for a traditional summer break to work the fields! The fastest-growing demographic in higher education today is the adult student who does not need or want the campus life, only the knowledge and the degree.

In doing research for assignment I was fascinated by the debates raging online between one faction of the "ivory tower" faculty, versus the other "realist" faction (usually the real-world business profs) who say - and this is so on-point that the whole quote needs to be read -

"In today's America where the taxpayer is on the hook for trillions of dollars of debt and college costs have gone up double (per annum) what incomes have for the last 15 years, the "pedagogy" is definitely at risk because of its cost. If a student can cover the same coursework and demonstrate the same mastery of the subject on line vs the on campus option, then the only difference is the campus experience outside the classroom. I have yet to find why it costs $40,000 to send a young person to college or, for a Hoosier at IU, say $20,000 to $30,000-depending on residency. The parents and students that foot the bill are increasingly aware of the economic value of a degree vs. its cost. And sending a student into the world with $50,000 to $100,000 of debt is, in my mind, irresponsible and selfish if they could get the same education online. Education has to compete for customers just like businesses-and in the world of business with a mature product, the low cost producer of acceptable quality wins."

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:46:16 GMT

I totally agreed with Tuser. My elder brother finished his degree from a online college. He didn't faces any problem to get a good job. He is so please with it.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:29:59 GMT

Hello Elizabeth,

Thanks for this nice post. I think study id just study. So it's not a matter that where you have done that. To gain a online degree you had to work hard. It's not just a easy thing to gain, that many people thoughts. I personally appreciate to you for it. Best of luck.

-Tuser

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

PPConsulltant — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:36:18 GMT

Hi Elizabeth,

I don't feel a stigma at all. I have a lot of friends who are pursuing an online education and some who have benefitted from raises, new opportunities, and promotions from doing so.

This is the 21st century and there are so much competition and also people desiring flexibility because of the schedules. I think online education is the best thing that has ever happened to working adults, parents, or the disabled. We are taking this to whole new level. Hiring managers are not concerned where you have gotten your degree, they just want to make sure you have acquired skills and knowledge to perform the job.

Remember, those who have a problem with it are usually people afraid of competition.

Follow my experience as an online student...

http://mytruegradexperience.wordpress.com/

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

navneet09 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:37:13 GMT

online education is a need of today's world. And i think people learn little early compare to traditional education. I done my education from topperlearning.com and it really helped me to go further in my career.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:53:48 GMT

Its really good. I too have a positive experience.Education has an important place in everybody's life and online education has created boom in the field of education. Distance learning is the ideal solution for the people who face problems in there education due to work arrangements, family commitments, physical location or various other reasons. It is really flexible and convenient.

Re: Online vs. Traditional Education

Cajun — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:42:01 GMT

That was the situation I was in.