A recent editorial in the UM-St. Louis Current charges that many of the reasons universities start online classes are harmful to student learners. Instead of starting online courses for student convenience or as a viable learning alternative, some universities do it because they can save money on facilities and can squeeze 200+ students into a single class. Here's a blurb from the editorial:

"An online class can hold up to about 200 students, where as an average sized-classroom (not lecture halls) can only seat about 25. However, for the students to get the most out of a professor, a good student-to-teacher ratio needs to be about 15-to-1.

Instead of providing a quality education, professors are now shoveling students through each class just so they can meet their requirements. It is very cost-efficient.

The bottom line is that online classes require fewer professors, less space, and most of all, less money, meaning less money to pay for faculty salaries and lower costs to maintain a classroom.

That last part about money is ironic in that students, particularly in the communications department, pay supplemental fees for distance learning to cover the costs for all of the technology and software needed to run an online class."

It's unfortunate that many colleges still see online learning as a money-making venture rather than focusing on student needs. Hopefully, as online learning becomes more mainstream, schools will change their focus.