| The number of online degree programs is growing | | | | March San Diego Business Journal report. More |
| swiftly, giving prospective students a wider array | | | | than 4.6 million students were enrolled in least one |
| of choices for more conveniently continuing their | | | | online course during the fall 2008 semester, |
| education. Applications for scholarships and grants | | | | representing a 17 percent increase over fall 2007 |
| and scholarship and fellowship opportunities can | | | | enrollments, the Business Journal reported, citing a |
| help students more easily find the money to pay | | | | 2009 Sloan Consortium survey. The higher |
| the tuition. | | | | education student population as a whole, on the |
| Browse through college catalogues for the fall | | | | other hand, rose by only 1.2 percent over these |
| 2010 semester or surf the web sites of virtual | | | | same two periods, according to the survey |
| and traditional institutions of higher education. Long | | | | information provided. |
| popular online degree programs in business, | | | | Online education can be provided by completely |
| nursing, information technology and criminal justice | | | | virtual colleges or by traditional institutions offering |
| are now accompanied by education offerings | | | | online classes and degree programs. In some |
| tailored to those pursuing degrees in philosophy, | | | | instances, distance learning offerings contribute to |
| history, African-American studies, the STEM | | | | more than 60 percent of a traditional for-profit |
| (science, technology, engineering and math) | | | | college's revenues, the Marketwire release |
| subjects and more. Where Southern California | | | | reported. The number of students enrolled in |
| recently saw an increase in online degree | | | | online education programs offered by a Memphis |
| programs at the associate degree level, a single | | | | institution jumped by nearly 50 percent in one |
| university in Memphis added 18 new bachelor and | | | | year, according to an area newspaper known as |
| master's degree programs to its existing 22 for | | | | the Commercial Appeal. Because online college |
| the coming fall semester, according to reports. | | | | registration areas fill up quickly, keeping up with |
| Scholars have suggested the online education | | | | the demand has been a challenge, one college |
| boon could in part be the result of a historically | | | | representative reportedly told the San Diego |
| large 2009 high school class and physical settings | | | | Business Journal. |
| that can't accommodate a growing student | | | | The "32 Trends" report, published in the 2003 |
| population. In "32 Trends Affecting Distance | | | | Online Journal of Distance Learning Education, |
| Education," representatives of two universities | | | | described for-profit higher education institutions as |
| cited National Center for Education statistics | | | | the fastest growing segment in online education |
| forecasting that online college enrollment would | | | | and noted that, into 2020, the number of |
| grow 16 percent between 2003 and 2010. | | | | degree-granting institutions will continue to grow, |
| The information was based on high school | | | | while the number of traditional campuses declines. |
| information alone. Adults, including rising numbers | | | | The report forecasted an Information Age work |
| of women and minorities, make up a large | | | | force in need of continuous retraining and |
| segment of distance learners. While the number | | | | "retooling" as well as a rise in accelerated online |
| of 18 to 24-year-old students increased by 41 | | | | degree programs. |
| percent between 1970 and 2000, the number of | | | | Distance educators at the time were looking at |
| adult students rose 170 percent during this time, | | | | how technologies such as wireless laptops, |
| according to "32 Trends". Online education these | | | | personal digital assistants (PDAs), |
| days reportedly costs about the same as a | | | | videoconferencing, video streaming, virtual reality, |
| traditional campus setting. And while more | | | | and gaming environments enhance distance |
| students apparently shop for online classes and | | | | learning. Looking ahead, the report forecasted that |
| degree programs that best suit their schedules, | | | | college accreditation and program approval is going |
| they can also shop for online grant, scholarship | | | | to change, becoming more outcome-based and, |
| and fellowship opportunities to help offset the | | | | by 2025, without one national accreditation |
| cost. These types of grant applications include the | | | | system. Governments, testing companies and |
| Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | | | | others, the report noted, would put testing |
| as well as scholarships and fellowships offered by | | | | programs into place, and large corporations would |
| large companies, non-profit organizations, civic | | | | develop their own approval systems. And distance |
| groups and more. | | | | educators, to accommodate the accountability |
| The education market has shifted dramatically | | | | emphasis, "32 Trends" suggested, should plan |
| from traditional classroom and lecture-room | | | | ahead to maintain accreditation and meet |
| education to online education, a Marketwire news | | | | consumer demands. Online education, the report |
| release reported in March. It's gotten to the point, | | | | noted, is going to evolve to focus on the student |
| in fact, where distance learning is growing much | | | | as consumer as well as on flexibility and global |
| faster than higher education overall, according to a | | | | reach. |