Online Universities Weblog

Interesting study at First Monday: "Professors 0nline: The Internet's Impact on College Faculty," by Steve Jones and Camille Johnson-Yale, reports on findings from a nationwide
survey of Internet use by U.S. college faculty.

Early Internet adoption on college campuses has generally given college faculty a head start on Internet use. Indeed, college faculty have played a pioneering role in Internet development and have brought their work to college campuses early in the life of the Internet. Researchers like J.C.R. Licklider and Lawrence G. Roberts were on the faculty at M.I.T. Licklider, a computer scientist, headed the division of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in the early 1960s that set the wheels in motion for funding the Internet's development, while Roberts headed the engineers that created ARPANET, the agency's computer network and precursor to today's Internet. Leonard Kleinrock served at M.I.T. and U.C.L.A. and is widely credited as creating the first node on the ARPANET. Robert Taylor, on the faculty at the University of Utah, succeeded Licklider at ARPA and was responsible for conceiving the need for an ARPA computer network and spurring on Roberts and his team. His Utah colleague Ivan Sutherland did pioneering work on computer graphics. Doug Engelbart, on the faculty at Stanford, invented the computer mouse (among other things).

Research universities began to wire their campuses comparatively early, in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Other universities followed in the 1980s and 1990s, and soon virtually all campus classroom, laboratory, office, and student residence buildings had high-speed Internet access. The coming of the Internet to college campuses wasn't always smooth: Wiring was often uneven. Typically, it began with science and engineering buildings, then other office and classroom buildings, then dorms and other campus buildings. Faculty greeted the innovation with mixed reviews; the Internet enjoyed greater popularity among faculty from the sciences and engineering departments than among those from other departments. Still, no matter the diffusion of Internet connectivity or use on college campuses, the "jump start" with the Internet that U.S. college and university communities enjoyed put them well ahead of most of the rest of the population and ahead of most industries.

Top Online Colleges

	Kaplan University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Kaplan University is a dynamic institution that offers accredited, online degrees to students seeking to jump start a new career. Kaplan University makes it easy for students to get the college degree that they want.
	University of Phoenix - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, & Doctoral Degrees. University of Phoenix shows each student how easy and convenient it is to earn your college degree through their distance learning program. Students can choose to learn at home or from a campus location near you.
	Ashford University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Ashford University has a rich tradition of online educational excellence. This excellence is shown in the quality of each class that every student receives.
	American InterContinental University Online - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. At American InterContinental University, every individual has an opporunity to receive an excellent college degree and the ability to maximize their human potential. American InterContinental University allows you to pick a time and place that fits your schedule.
	Liberty University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. At Liberty University, students educational goals and needs are met by an outstanding faculty and support staff. Any adult learner looking to go back to school will be pleased with the course offerings available at Liberty University.
	Everest University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Everest University is committed to the on-going commitment of providing each student with a high-quality, low-cost online education. Everest University has a well rounded faculty with real world experience.
	Saint Leo University - Associate's, Bachelor's & Master's Degrees. Reaching students all over the world, Saint Leo University has a truly diverse student body, including first time undergrads and working professionals. The university is dedicated in providing their students with the skills, tools, and knowledge needed to succeed in their desired professional careers.
	Westwood College - Associate's & Bachelor's Degrees. Westwood College offers a wide array of programs ranging from Business Administration to Web Design. Students are sure to find the quality education and skills needed in order to succeed and achieve meaningful careers by attending Westwood.
	Colorado Technical University - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctoral Degrees. As a well-known, accredited online university, Colorado Technical University is committed to developing great leaders. They teach students the latest techniques, methods, skills and experience needed to succeed in the fast-paced economy.
	Grand Canyon University - Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, Grand Canyon University is ideal for any individual, first-time students or working professionals, to pursue a degree toward their career of interest. Their excellence in online education has brought many students to attend the university.
	Virginia College - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Virginia College offers a myriad of online programs for students seeking degrees anywhere from business administration to criminal justice. Their career-focused curriculum provides students with an edge upon graduation.
	DeVry University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Students who attend DeVry University are welcomed with an outstanding faculty who put each students needs and dreams first. DeVry University is an accredited university that offers affordable degrees.
	Strayer University - Associate's & Bachelor's Degrees. Strayer University uses a student-centric approach to its educational curriculum and each student benefits from this ideal. Strayer University is an accredited university with degrees in high-growth industries.
	Penn Foster Career School - Certificates. With career-focused programs, Penn Foster Career School is an ideal choice for students who want to pursue their desired careers. The college is staffed with industry and academic professionals who have superior knowledge within their fields.

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