Online Universities Weblog

Students taking courses from AIU Online have been sweating since AIU was put on probationary status by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS). This week, SACS announced that AIU will be returned to good standing. A recent press release shares details from the college:

"We are gratified that the effort and hard work on the part of our leadership, our faculty, and our staff have been acknowledged by our accreditor," said Dr. George Miller, chief executive officer of American InterContinental University. "We believe that the process over the past two years has been a productive experience for the University and for our students, and today we are a much stronger institution. We look forward to continuing to provide our students with a quality education that meets or exceeds the high standards set by SACS. I am particularly gratified that throughout this process the quality of AIU's academic programs was never in question."

Prior to the announcement, many AIU Online graduates wondered that the school's potential lack of accreditation could impact their resumes and employment prospects. Fortunately, that's not a problem they will need to face in the near future.

Sometimes I'm tempted to enroll in an online class that I don't really "need." I know it won't help me at work or pad my resume, but I want to learn the subject anyway! Often a book or a free online class will do. But, when those just don't cut it I usually end up browsing the Teaching Company's website. The Teaching Company offers quality audio and video courses from stellar professors around the nation. I prefer the audio courses because I can listen to them while I'm in my car. They don't offer any type of certificate or college credit…just straight up learning.

The Teaching Company's courses can be rather expensive (several hundred dollars). But, they do have regular sales and offer a discount for downloadable courses. After signing up for their email newsletter I've received several brief downloadable classes for free.

Most online students are in the middle of finals and semester projects. It can be difficult to keep priorities straight…just when school demands so much time, family members expect extra holiday-season attention. Fortunately, you don't have to choose between your family and your coursework. My About.com article, 4 Ways to Balance Family and School, shows how you can succeed with both. Here's a blurb:

"Setting specific times and posting a schedule on your office door (or kitchen fridge) can be a great way to form a common understanding and keep resentments from forming. Let your family know when you'll be available and when they shouldn't disturb you. If you're in an online chat meeting, for example, you may want to hang a "do not disturb" sign on the door. Let children know what instances are appropriate for interruption (a stuffed bear causing the toilet to overflow) and which are inappropriate (they have a sudden urge for ice-cream). This street goes both ways, however, and you'll also need to set some ground rules for yourself. Be available to your family during your off-hours and give them the attention they need. Let them know that they can trust you to be available when you say you will, and they'll be more willing to wait."

Check out the full article for more suggestions on budgeting your time.

Recently, a Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled that the online charter school, Wisconsin Virtual academy, violated state law because students and teachers were not all located in the school district boundaries. Jeff Bush, the executive director of a charter program called Insight School of Wisconsin published a response to the decision in the Capital Times. Basically, he believes that virtual schools should not have to follow the out-dated law. Here's a blurb from his letter to the editor:

"The ruling is a step back for education. It hurts Wisconsin's quest to be economically competitive in a high-tech, online educational world. Most disturbingly, it hurts some of the neediest students we're all trying so hard to help.

The Appeals Court ruling denies what is already happening in schools. As a former teacher and principal, let me point out the obvious: Technology has changed the classroom. Online schools, video programming and Web-based distance learning have obliterated school district borders. The world is now our classroom."

I'm no legal expert, but I do think that this case teaches us that trying to fit new technology into old laws is often a disaster. States should review their educational policies and create revisions that reflect the current state of schooling.

south dakota has more online student than ever. Recent reports show that the number of online learners has soared since 2004. Here's a blurb about the latest distance learning statistics from the Argus Leader:

"Nearly 14,500 students were enrolled in some type of distance education course in the public university system last year, the South Dakota Board of Regents learned Thursday.

Distance education students in the system have increased by 43 percent since 2004.

Internet course offerings in the public university system have grown to now comprise a majority of the distance-delivered courses.

Course registrations in distance education increased by 16 percent last year, for a total of 22,626 registrations in the 2006-07 academic year. Course registrations are up 52 percent since 2004."

Online learning programs seem to be expanding everywhere in the United States. In some places, such as South Dakota, they're growing even faster than expected.

Online career training courses are becoming increasingly popular. Today, Southeastern Oklahoma University announced that it will be offering several career-oriented courses via the web. Here's a blurb from their press release:

"Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Continuing Education recently partnered with Gatlin Education Services to provide online career training courses in the fields of healthcare, construction, Internet, design and technical, Microsoft certification training and casino gaming.

Accessible online, the non-credit courses can help individuals at any stage of their career. Whether the student is interested in switching career paths, obtaining advanced training and certificates, or a first-time job seeker in need of specialized training, SOSU and Gatlin provide the necessary resources for workforce, corporate, vocational rehabilitation or individual career training, all from the convenience of your own home or office."

One concern I have is that the courses offer no college credit. No-credit online courses can be useful for workers who need a quick way to get started in their career paths, but most people can benefit from earning credit while learning (even if they don't have current plans for a degree).

Texas Tech may soon have an entire college dedicated to electronic learning. A Lubbock Online article reports that a subcommittee at the university has already given their approval and the regents will soon come to a decision. Here's a blurb:

"Two of the college's primary goals would be to increase the number of credit hours Tech students take electronically from about 5 percent to 10 to 20 percent and ensure all students have access to electronic courses, Tech Provost Bill Marcy said.

"This is financially a very good deal for Texas Tech," Marcy told regents."

As traditional colleges expand their online programs, more structure is often needed. An entire department can help take care of the technical and organizational concerns that often arise.

Have you ever watched an online class video lecture, only to realize that you haven't been paying any attention at all? It's easy to zone out, especially when your lecture is coming from a computer screen and not a person.

One way to stay focused is to take lecture notes. A recent Lifehacker article demonstrates how taking meticulous notes using the Cornell system can keep you on track. Here's a blurb:

"Copying class notes after the fact is a time-consuming way to study for an exam, but it was the only thing that truly worked for me back in college. But next week I'll be in a classroom again for the first time in 8 years, pen poised over notebook, and this time I'm going to perfect a strategy that gets my notes right the first time: the Cornell Note-taking method."

When I was a classroom teacher, I noticed that a lot of students found success with the Cornell method. The article has links to everything you need to get started. Why not give it a try?

Yale University now offers seven online courses, available to everyone without charge. The opencourseware classes offer no credit or grades, but they're a fun way to give online learning a try. Here's how Yale describes their new offerings:

"Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to seven introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn.

Open Yale Courses reflects the values of a liberal arts education. Yale's philosophy of teaching and learning begins with the aim of training a broadly based, highly disciplined intellect without specifying in advance how that intellect will be used."

Interested? Enroll in a free online course from any of the following departments: Astronomy, English, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, or Religious Studies.

Millions of gamers own the hand-held Play Station Portable video gaming device. But, Sony representatives say the console is useful for more than entertainment. The Independent reports:

"Sony, the firm famous for its video-game consoles, is getting involved. The PlayStation Portable (PSP) was launched some years ago to allow children to play games on the move; now it's being developed for educational purposes. The latest models can be used to download videos created by teachers, so pupils can keep up to date with classes wherever and whenever they like.

"Why not give children something they already know how to use?" says Mark Stimpfig, one of the directors of ConnectED, the UK educational distributors of the Sony PSP. "It's very video-based, which contrasts greatly with virtual learning environments, which are very static. If there are two and a half million children out there using their PSPs to play games, then there's no reason why teachers shouldn't use them for teaching purposes."

While current projects focus on educating children, there's no reason adults couldn't benefit from a similar system in the future. It just may be the excuse you need to put a "toy" on your holiday wishlist.