Online Classrooms Shorten Lecture Time

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Video lectures aren't the most dynamic aspect of online learning. Instead of offering a face-to-face discussion, these segments are static and are often considered boring. In fact, I once knew a student who watched his Economics lectures at triple the speed to spare himself the tediousness. Simply put: many viewers would rather participate in a virtual video conference or learn on their own.

In response to these criticisms, a number of online professors are shortening the length of their lecture videos. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports:

"Just because 50-minute classroom sessions are the norm on a college schedule does not make that the ideal duration for students outside the lecture hall.

"Best practices are suggesting that shorter, modular clips … are more successful than 50-minute sections," says John G. Flores, chief executive of the United States Distance Learning Association. "The days of having someone lecture for 50 minutes via video pretty much are – or are least should be – a thing of the past," he says.

And professors who have experimented with the short form online have learned something else: Shorter may work better in the classroom, too."

On one hand, this may make learning more enjoyable for virtual students. On the other, it may end up shortening their attention spans and depriving them of an in-depth education.

Online Degrees in the Workplace

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accredited online degrees seem to be gaining more acceptance in the workplace. Both current and prospective employers are becoming more open to quality distance learning programs. The New York Times reports:

"While every employer is different, Susan Kryczka, director of distance education at Boston University, said that most treat online degrees as equivalent to degrees obtained by attending classes in classrooms.

Ms. Kryczka said that many employers would cover online education as part of existing tuition reimbursement programs, provided that employees could prove that the online degree pertained to their current job.

Once employees have completed their degrees, she added, many are rewarded with additional compensation for advancing their education…

When employers are considering job applicants, online degrees are also becoming more accepted. Bob Leber, director of education and work-force development at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., says that when employers are evaluating prospective employees, most don't ask applicants to specify how they obtained their degrees, just where they obtained them."

That's good news – both for new online students and graduates of virtual programs.

Residency Requirements at Online Colleges

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One of the most important factors to consider when choosing an online college is the program's residency requirements. Some online colleges do not require any on-campus hours, while others require a semester or more of study in a physical classroom. I discuss many of the options in my latest About.com article, Online College Residency Requirements. Here's a blurb:

"A "residency requirement" is a set amount of time a student must spend on campus in order to complete a degree. Many brick-and-mortar colleges mandate residency requirements for their online students. If you enroll in one of these programs, you may have to travel to campus for several weekends or even several semesters in order to earn your degree. Before enrolling in any online program, make sure its residency requirements will meet your needs."

Check out the full article for more details about residency requirements.

Take Stanford University Classes Online

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Here's another prestigious college online learners may want to consider: Stanford University. The Stanford Center for Professional development offers a wide variety of classes that may be taken through video conferencing and other virtual methods. Here's a blurb from my latest review:

"The Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD) offers students the opportunity to take online courses led by Stanford's distinguished faculty. Students can enroll in graduate-level courses, certificate programs, and master's degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. Degree-seeking applicants must enroll though a "member company" that has an association with the SCPD program."

Check out the full review for details about earning a degree through the Stanford Center for Professional Development.

Western Governers University Reaches 10,000 Enrolled Students

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Western Governors University, a non-profit online college, is now reporting enrollment of over 10,000 students. This sometimes controversial school allows students to prove their knowledge through writing assignments and exams.

Deseret News reports:

"Western Governors University, which was founded just over 10 years ago, has reached enrollment of 10,000 students.

Skeptics of the nonprofit, online university founded by 19 U.S. governors, didn't believe the day of high numbers would come, let alone that the school would survive without state financing and in competition with similar, for-profit online schools.

"Our success thus far is primarily because of our intense focus on the student learning experience," WGU President Robert Mendenhall said in a statement. He expects significant enrollment growth to continue, despite the lack of state support…

"A key part of our mission is to expand access to higher education," Mendenhall said. "A great education doesn't have to be expensive and saddle our graduates with a heavy burden of student loans."

At just $5,800 tuition per year, WGU is a competitive deal for many non-traditional online students.

Grant Awards Free Laptops to Native Hawaiians

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A new Federal grant is making it possible for native Hawaiian students to receive free laptops. Here's Molokai Times has to say about the program:

"The Maui Community College Molokai Education Center is offering Native Hawaiian residents of Molokai the opportunity to qualify for a free laptop.

This effort is the result of a USDA Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine (RUS DS&T) grant. The grant entitled, Project Ohana (Online Health and Academic Network Access), has allowed Maui Community College to upgrade the distance-learning infrastructure at its distance sites."

The students can use the laptop for distance learning courses, but they are also encouraged to share it with their families. If you think you may qualify, check out the full Molokai Times article for a list of requirements.

Online School Accreditation Laws

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I don't recommend enrolling in an unaccredited online school. These programs tend to offer a lower quality education, even if they are not diploma mills.

However, some students will inevitably chose to go with unaccredited colleges. If you fall into this category, be sure to check the accreditation laws in your state and any state you may want to live in the future.

Some states make it illegal for graduates to list unaccredited degrees on resumes. Other states require degree holders to disclose the fact that their school was not accredited. Consider this blurb from Oregon state law:

"…an individual using an unaccredited degree, even if the employer allows use of such degrees, must disclose on resumes, letterheads, business cards, announcements and advertisements that "(Name of school) does not have accreditation recognized by the United States Department of Education and has not been approved by the Office of Degree Authorization."

If you don't want to hand out business cards with that lengthy disclaimer, you may want to rethink your choice of school.

Less Money for School?

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Some online college students may have more difficulty securing student loans in the coming semester. It seems that the mortgage crisis has affected more than just homeowners. NPR reports:

"Driven by the credit crunch, big banks are cutting back student loan programs, nixing cash access for students at community colleges and small four-year colleges deemed "less competitive."

The mortgage industry crisis, says Robert Shireman of the Project on Student Debt, has affected college lending as well, even though most college loans are federally guaranteed. "The problems in the mortgage industry caused a virus of sorts, which upset the way that a lot of different types of loans were financed, even these very secure loans that are essentially co-signed by the federal government," he said."

Despite this issue, most students will still be able to take out loans. However, it may require a bit of searching to find a bank that will lend. Potential students worried about loan issues should talk to their school's financial aid office – most schools have a list of lenders happy to work with them.

Online Students Learning as Avatars

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Many online college students take courses in virtual realms such as Second Life. To enter these worlds they must choose a graphical figure to represent them. The Economic Times reports:

"An internet fantasy universe teeming with faux worlds devoted to socializing and video games is expanding to include virtual classrooms and universities.

A new trend in online education involves students Acting through animated characters called "avatars" mingling in simulated school settings and even rocketing off, via the net, on quests for knowledge."

On one hand, avatars give students the chance to make an impression based on their intelligence and personality rather than their looks. On the other hand, avatars do seem to act as a sort of mask – allowing students to feel anonymous rather than being accountable as their real selves.

Learning Communities for Online Graduate Students

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Last week, I wrote about the need for social interaction in effective online learning. Now, a new report from the Journal of Online Learning and Teaching shows how these social communities can be formed for online graduate students. Here are the basics:

"Community building in online distance education is important to a successful learning experience because it alleviates feelings of isolation for both students and faculty members. Ruth E. Brown describes the process by which students become part of an online distance education community, identifying three stages: "making friends," "community conferment," and the development of "camaraderie" (Brown, 2001). The purpose of this article is to present concrete, specific, and practical pedagogical strategies to implement Ruth E. Brown' 3-stage theory of community building in online distance learning courses."

I have to admit that I'd be annoyed with mandatory get-to-know-you community building exercises in any online class. However, the strategies in the report have shown quite a bit of success.