NPR: More U.S. Students Learning Online

A recent NPR story examines the growing popularity of online courses in the United States.

"When today's college graduates get together for a reunion someday, they may decide to do it by computer. That's because right now, nearly one in five college students takes at least one class online, according to a new survey.

For professors, the growth of e-learning has meant a big shift in the way they deal with students."

Listen in to learn more about how online courses have changed the way teachers instruct and students learn.

MIT Opencourseware…Now for High School Students

As a pioneer in opencourseware, MIT has long offered no-cost learning materials online. Now, its new project, Highlights for High School, provides virtual material to the younger crowd. Here's what Highlights for High School gives secondary students:

"Highlights for High School is your guide to MIT courses selected specifically to help you prepare for AP exams, learn more about the skills and concepts you learned in school, and get a glimpse of what you'll soon study in college.

Need a break from studying? Check out videos of competitions at MIT like the Solar Decathlon. Ever see a bullet smash through a rose dipped in nitrogen? Check out the Strobe Project Laboratory. Studying for the Physics AP exam? Watch an MIT professor explain pendulums by swinging across his classroom."

Looks like a great way to tailor existing opencourseware content for a different set of people.

Online Learning = Solution for College Dropouts

I recently came across an article from Go College that examined the top 11 reasons college students drop out. As I considered each cause, I realized that many of these student's problems could have been solved by switching to a virtual university. Consider these common reasons for dropping out:

"Educational burnout." Students who feel exhausted from too much school could benefit from the flexible schedule many online colleges offer. Students can work part-time and take a break when they need one.

"Financial constraints." Not all online colleges are cheap, but some do offer very affordable tuition. Online students in some programs may also be able to work full or part-time, making school all the more affordable.

"Personal or family issues." Problems such as illness or family emergencies can often take a toll on a student's academic life. However, a flexible online program that allows students to work according to their own schedules and at their own pace can allow many students to continue their studies.

Check out the article for the remaining eight reasons students drop out. Online learning isn't for everyone, but the majority of these problems can be solved by taking virtual courses.

Want to Save on Textbooks? Start Now.

It's hard to think about next semester's textbooks before starting this semester's finals. But, if you want to save, now is the time. My recently updated About.com article shows how online students can save on textbooks. Here's the gist:

"Textbooks can cost hundreds of dollars a semester. If you want to save on next semester's textbooks, start now. Find out what books your online classes require. Then, see if you can find them for free or cheap. Keep in mind that some Online Universities partner with for-profit textbook sales companies and rely on sales as an extra source of income. This article will show you how to find discounted books (or even get them at no cost)."

When it comes to buying books, the early bird really does get the worm.

How Do Online Classes Work?

If you're completely new to online learning, you need a solid of understanding of the basics. Educational Portal recently published a short video (just over a minute long) that explains how online learning works. Here's what it contains:

"This video describes how online lecture notes and student forums for peer and professor interaction help assist students who are learning from remote locations. Students will also learn the purpose of individual and group based project assignments in online courses."

It certainly won't answer all of your online learning questions, but it's a start.

UC Berkeley to Simplify Podcasting

UC Berkeley is joining up with other colleges to make educational podcasting easier. Here's how they explain the educational podcasting project called OpenCast:

"UC Berkeley is developing a podcast capture, post-processing, and distribution system that will integrate current technological advancements such as Apple's Podcast Producer with existing academic community source frameworks such as Sakai."

Podcasting is certainly a useful tool for e-learners. Hopefully it will be even better when Berkeley's program is released in fall of 2008.

Is the iPhone an Ideal "Portable Classroom"?

When the iphone was released, the crowds were mostly concerned about its appeal as a sleek new gadget for the tech-savvy. But, some educators are beginning to see the iPhone's potential as an educational tool. The Kansas City InfoZine reports:

"One researcher at the university of kansas saw through the hullabaloo to recognize that the pioneering iPhone offered promise as a distance-learning tool. According to James R. Miller, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at KU, the pocket-sized computer can perform like an on-the-go classroom.

"It's pretty much a complete computer system in your hand – and oh, by the way, there's a phone there, too," Miller said. "People are beginning to expect on-demand delivery for education. They may be out in a field someplace or completely away from standard Internet connectivity. Well, if they can pick up their iPhone and turn it on, that technology is making it possible for them to get this on-demand education that they need."

With the iPhone and the recent release of Amazon's Kindle, a device that works as a portable classroom may not be far off. Neither of these devices are quite right for learning at a distance. But, we're getting very close.

(Image: Courtesy of Apple)

UMassOnline Launches 10 Blended Learning Programs

Online learning offers flexibility and convenience, but it's not for everyone. Recognizing this fact, UMassOnline is offering over ten new blended learning programs. UMassOnline CEO david gray explains: "We set out to be among the first to define and develop learning options that acknowledge long-standing and well-known preferences among some students for at least some element of campus connection and community, and we've done that." Here are the blended programs now available:

UMass Amherst:
BA in Health and Human Services
Doctor of Nursing Practice

UMass Boston:
Expansion of RN to BS
Post-Baccalaureate Clinical Educator Certificate Program

UMass Dartmouth:
B.A. in Liberal Arts Degree Completion Program
Business Programs

UMass Lowell:
Health Management and Policy Master's Program with Certificates in Health Informatics, Health Management, and Health Policy

UMass Worcester Graduate School of Nursing:
Nurse Educator Post-Master's Certificate Program
OBGYN Professional Development Training for Clinical Issues

Hopefully these programs will serve as a great example of blending online learning with traditional methods.

Earning an Online Doctorate Degree

The second I hung my master's degree on the wall I started thinking about earning a doctorate. A doctorate may be the most prestigious degree, but it also requires a substantial commitment of time and money. One of my recent About.com articles explores the costs and rewards of pursing an online doctorate degree. Here's a blurb:

"Because most online doctorate degree programs are reading and writing focused, doctorate students should be highly literate. They should have advanced research skills, be articulate, and have the ability to comprehend complex texts. Additionally, students should be self-motivated and able to work independently.

Keep in mind that earning a doctorate degree online may not automatically improve your salary. Most jobs requiring a doctorate degree offer a decent salary and a certain amount of prestige. However, many academic jobs such as professorships may pay less than jobs in the non-academic sector. When contemplating earning a doctorate degree online, research your future employment options to determine whether a new degree in your field will be worth it."

A lot of online doctorate students give up because their classes require too much time or because they are overwhelmed by writing a dissertation. Be sure you have the time and desire before enrolling in such a program.

Amazon’s Kindle Tops Online Learners’ Wish Lists

This week Amazon announced the long-awaited release of their new ebook reader, the Kindle. As an avid reader and on-the-go learner, I've been waiting for something like this. I love the idea of reading a favorite novel or college textbook in a waiting room, in a line, or on a plane. The Kindle has a lot of surprisingly useful features, but It's not quite the dream machine I'd hoped for. Here's why:

The Pros: Kindle uses e-ink technology so you feel like you're reading a book instead of staring at a computer screen. It's easy on the eyes. It's especially simple to download books, even without a computer. Kindle will connect to the internet anywhere to download a book you purchase, at no additional cost. Kindle also gives users free Wikipedia access.

The Cons: Kindle doesn't display documents in PDF format, which is pretty limiting. It's made to work particularly with books purchased on Amazon.com, so it may be more of a pain to upload no-cost books from Project Gutenburg and other public domain collections. At $399, the Kindle rather expensive. Its design could also use an iPod-like makeover.

So, what do you think? Will the Kindle earn a spot on your holiday wish list?