Online Universities Weblog

This has become an instant gratification society. We've become accustomed to fast food, fast cars, and fast access to information. Is online education too slow? Not anymore…at least in terms of Internet connections.

The popular Internet2 academic-computing consortium, which numerous colleges and universities rely on to provide access to research and networking, has unveiled plans for a super-speed "national academic fiber-optic network", tentatively titled "Newnet." The consortium hopes to make it available within 18 months.

The new network would replace Internet2's Abilene high-speed network, upon which many colleges depend for both research and day-to-day networking needs. And it would provide researchers with massive amounts of extra bandwidth at a moment's notice.

Douglas E. Van Houweling, president of Internet2, said in a talk during the organization's spring meeting here that the new network initially would carry data on 10 different wavelengths of light, each of which could handle 10 gigabits of data per second — or the total capacity of Abilene — at a time.

Zoom zoom, indeed.

(Photo Source: Kay's Computing)

It seems like the whole world is getting in on online education, and Australia is no exception. Students and educators are thrilled, and a bit awed, at how rapidly the technology-based degree options are expanding. The boom is partially credited to the increased availability of online courses, and the increased financial aid finally becoming available.

No longer is convenience the primary motivating factor: students have expanded beyond rural inhabitants and single mothers to include every strata of age, economic status, and goals.

The demand for distance education is accelerating across the country, with some universities reporting a 50 per cent increase of course enrolments during the past two years.

"Gone are the days when distance education was primarily done by people living in remote and regional areas. These days more and more people in metropolitan areas are turning to it," OUA business development general manager Cratis Hippocrates says.

Now, even a graduate degree is only a few keyboard clicks away. Okay, more than a few, but you can't deny the convenience and opportunity offered by online education. Looks like the world is realizing it, too.

Founded in 2003, Yorkville University was thrilled to bestow its first degree upon Huma Saeedi, who earned a Master's in Counseling psychology. Founders of the online university expect several more students to graduate this year.

In honor of the landmark moment, Yorkville chairman Michael Markovitz traveled to Toronto to personally present the degree to Saeedi. It was a proud moment for both.

"I'm a psychologist by education and I read her final paper and helped to put the curriculum together, so I was familiar with her courses, and it all felt terrific," Markovitz said.

"It felt like I did something worthwhile for her and helped to enrich her life and the lives of her future clients."

Both teachers and students of Yorkville praise the program, but urge potential students to realize that it isn't easy, and is best suited for those capable of high independence.

(Photo Source: Yorkville University)

Credit industry giant MasterCard has teamed up with the Singapore-based online university U21Global to provide scholarships for women studying Travel and Tourism.

20 scholarships worth $8,500 each will be offered. The funds will be provided equally by the partners, and if the program is a success, the scholarships will be offered again next year.

"Part of U21Global's mission has always been to bring high quality postgraduate education to underserved regions and populations. The MasterCard and U21Global scholarship programme to empower women professionals in the travel and tourism Industry is a natural addition to U21Global's efforts to serve this region especially," said Michael A Goldberg, chief academic officer, U21Global.

Organisations from the travel and tourism industry across AsiaoPacific will be invited to nominate women employees who they believe will most benefit from the learning and exposure offered by such a scholarship.

Student funding is the main ingredient missing in online education today, so this could be a bright glimmer of hope for the future. Please visit here for more information on these scholarships.

(Photo Source: MasterCard)

Capella University has been educating students online since 1993, and now boasts more than 14,500 enrollees in all 50 states, as well as 63 countries. Fully accredited, Capella offers numerous specializations in both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The online institution is now tackling new territory, as one of the first to join GoArmyEd, a tool that "provides a one-stop resource for active duty Army officers, enlisted soldiers, active Army National Guard, reserve, and mobilized reserve component soldiers, to manage their higher education and tuition assistance (TA) benefits."

GoArmyEd is a development of the armed forces' Tuition Assistance program, an option which leads many students to enroll. The addition of online learning opportunities makes utilizing the assistance funds much easier and efficient.

Learn more about the partnership here, and go to this site to get complete details on GoArmyEd.

Northern Kentucky University is moving full-speed ahead with the online education revolution, and will offer its first fully online advanced degree program in the fall.

Students and working professionals who choose to acquire an advanced education degree with a focus on flexibility are thrilled that they have this option. The master's program is 30 hours, as are nearly all programs of the type whether online or traditional, and is geared specifically towards helping teachers improve their skills and employment options.

This marks an auspicious beginning for the university in the area of online degrees. You can get more details here. If you'd like to consider applying to the program, you can get all the information you need here.

(Photo: NKU)

online courses are rampant now; every time you turn around, there's news of a higher enrollment or new development. If you're reading this, you're mostly likely an online student or thinking about becoming one.

Online education offers a huge amount of benefits including flexibility and increased access to knowledge, but it's not without its problems. The very 'newness' that makes it so revolutionary also makes it troublesome. Why does online education have such a high drop-out rate compared to 'traditional' classes? Why do so many more students fail in computer, rather than classroom, courses?

Simply, either the student or professor does not have the necessary skills, or neither does. Online education is a different animal than its traditional counterpart, and some simple skills and knowledge will help you improve as a student, or even a professor. Which is why we're bringing you this new feature: Succeeding in Online Courses: The Series.

Tune in all week for tips on everything from e-mail etiquette to having the right attitude. See you here!

(Photo: E-Adatbazis)

The concept of receiving a degree online is revolutionary enough, but one man has taken it a step further.

Amidst the oil patch, dairy farming, and ranching that surrounds Lea County, New Mexico, Fred dreamed of bringing a small liberal arts college the wonders of advanced online delivered education. With it he felt he could bring in a world-class faculty, multiple degree choices and innovative curriculum. He was convinced, he said, that 'it would draw students from around the world like bear cubs to honey.'

Seems like he was the only who believed it, at least in the beginning. Undaunted, Fred resigned his position as an Associate Professor of Market Economics and created The Global academy Online. He was finally able to convince some colleagues and students to join in the experiment.

What happened next is truly amazing, and may make online education a possibility for everyone: [he] invented a patent pending system that permits any college, regardless of there size, resources, or where they are located, the unique ability to turn on extensive online curriculum and instruction from a single, confidential, transparent source. It literally requires no capital or use of client schools own precious in-house resources. Without hiring a single new faculty member or investing one dollar in development, any college is now able, through The Academy, to add qualified, accredited teaching and curriculum online.

They now have a fully accredited online university, and partners all over the world. As the company says: 'We offer the future.'

(Photo: Fred DiUlis)

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Are you interested in obtaining an online undergraduate or graduate degree? If so, you're probably full of questions: Which programs are accredited? Which is the right program to me? Will employers respect my degree? Can I get financial aid? What should I look for in a program?

All these questions and more can be answered on an excellent site: the Distance Learning College Guide.

View different programs and choose the right one for you.(And of course, be sure to visit this weblog often for the latest news and developments.) Pursuing an online education has never been easier!