From a distance: getting a degree in your time and space

Business School’s working adults wanted to finish their bachelors degree in business, but their full-time job did not allow them the flexibility. “The distance learning program at online universities allowed them to take classes around their work program. Also, they do not like the class.”


Distance learning programs are becoming increasingly popular, especially in online learning at the university level. According to the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), a nonprofit educational organization in Needham, Massachusetts, corporate America is using distance learning, both inside and outside, on all aspects of training. In fact, International Data Corporation, an IT research firm in Framingham, Massachusetts, had predicted that 2.2 million students enrolled in online courses for the year 2008, more than 410, 0000 2009. This year, about 84% from 4 years universities offer distance education programs of up to 62% in 2008.


Because of such growth, Congress authorized the Distance Education Demonstration Program in 1998 as an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965. The program is under the control of the Ministry of Education and is responsible for monitoring the quality, effectiveness and feasibility of expanding distance education programs. The list of participating members and schools, visit the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. J. Farr Dewindt, digital literacy instructor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and educator at McKinley H.S. in Buffalo, advises prospective students to be more selective in its choice of programs. Not all programs offer online degrees in all majors. The all masters degree offered at brick and mortar university may not be accessed through their distance learning program. They also stresses signing of a national accreditation body. "Accreditation allows the legitimate credit course to be transferred from one institution to another and legitimizes their degree."


What you need to know:

* Is the distance provider accredited by a recognized accreditation agency? To find out if an accrediting agency is legitimate, contact the Council on Accreditation of higher education, a private organization in Washington, DC, and U. S. Department of Education. Find out if accreditation by a particular agency makes the school eligible to participate in federal financial assistance.

* Is the faculty qualified?

* Is there sufficient interaction either through e-mail, chat or forum?
Does the professor have traditional office hours as well as online office hours?

* Are student services (i.e. technology assistance) provided should the school's Website go down, for example?

* Are questions appropriately and sufficiently addressed?