Posted by Jeff Davis on April 9th, 2009
I think we all would agree that a college education is one of the most valuable tools that anyone can ever have. In fact, I would say that it is actually invaluable. With a college education, you are only helping to make your future that much more desirable by increasing job opportunities, making more money, gaining important skills and knowledge, and having an overall healthier life.
One of the values of an online education versus a more traditional college is that you can gain significant technical knowledge which can increase your individual value in any workplace. It has been my experience through attending the University of Phoenix that I was able to obtain the critical skills and knowledge necessary to make me a valuable asset to my employer. During my online program, I was able to quickly apply any new skills almost instantly into my job and because of this it opened up a lot of doors for advancing in my career. Another valuable benefit of an online education is that you get to work with such a diverse group of students and instructors who are located all over the world. This is not only a great networking opportunity, but can also increase your employment opportunities after graduating with your degree.
Overall, I believe that degrees earned online are just as valuable as degrees earned from traditional programs and especially now as technology continues to advance and is utilized in almost every company in the world today. It is just a matter of choosing the right online program from a well respected and accredited school and one that meets your personal and professional goals.
Posted by Sharon Cece on April 8th, 2009
I believe that the by-product of every experience has value. This is especially true in regard to academics–an education is an experience of increasing knowledge that often leads to a degree. Naturally, my degree has instrumental value from an economic standpoint, since I can earn more money and further my career, but also has intrinsic value from a personal sense of pride and accomplishment.
There are aspects of a traditional college education that are equally, if not as recognizably, valuable–such as living on your own as a student for the first time and the glorious feeling of total independence, participating and creating impact as a member of the college milieu, and interacting with others who have a wide spectrum of opinions and ideas to share. Even mundane endeavors add to a student’s experiential resume: standing in line at the registrar’s office, attending meetings with advisors, or handing out pamphlets at a student union booth; these all add up to equal the total university “experience”.
The internet has added a innovative dimension to almost every aspect of living and in particular, to education. Like traditional students, most students matriculating online do so to garner enough credits to obtain a degree and also to increase the mind’s intellectual capability in order to add impressively to one’s repertoire of knowledge. Next to education and intellect, then, a student might simply value the online learning “experience”; that is, learning how to navigate through electronic hallways, studying with and writing to other students from all over the world, even participating in the unique configuration of something brand new from a familiar environment such as your home or office. If you read the posts in this Student Voices feature, you will get some idea of what they have gleaned from their individual online experiences, both from an educational and a personal viewpoint. It’s this sum of the experience they value, and what they in turn offer back to the online world through their words. You can appreciate their enthusiasm as they engage in a facet of education that is distinct and atypical from traditional academics. It’s different, it’s fun, it’s technical, it’s flexible–it’s what life today is all about.
There is one aspect of online learning I consider to be an unexpected, yet no less significant, benefit. While studying and taking courses online I often engaged my children in my studies and links and felt they became part of the learning “experience“. Had I attended a traditional university as a parent I likely would not have involved them as much as while learning and studying from home. My children watched me pour over lessons directly from my e-classes, watched me participating and communicating, watched me getting frustrated and overwhelmed (but that’s all part of the experience and hence, has value). Most importantly, they watched me graduate; somehow I believe they understood a bit better, through all their watching, how much work and sacrifice–and gratification–went into that moment. For weeks afterward, my youngest son said excitedly, “Mom, I took pictures of you graduating!”, as though recording my moment, and walking that educational road with me, had intrinsic value to him as well.
Posted by Jen Zeman on April 7th, 2009
The value of today’s online education is comparable to a traditional college or university, since nearly all traditional universities offering online degrees/courses. The quality of an online degree is no less than that earned by students going to a physical classroom to earn a degree. The difference between the two is only in delivery of the course. I believe the value and quality of online degrees was initially questioned when this type of delivery was first introduced, with some comparing online delivery to the type of correspondence courses Sally Struthers use to advertise. Correspondence courses and online courses from accredited universities are not the same! The key word is “accredited”; when researching online degrees, especially at institutions you may not be familiar with, make sure they are accredited by its regional accreditation group. An example is UMUC, who is a sister university within the University of Maryland system and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (http://www.umuc.edu/middlestates/index.shtml). I had no doubt I was receiving a high-quality, legitimate education.
Financially, online courses offer the same value dollar for dollar with traditional courses except most institutions charge some sort of “technology fee” for the online course. It varies with different institutions – some charge per course while others charge a lump sum per semester. The technology fee usually goes towards the upkeep of online classrooms (e.g. software, technical staff, etc.). Always double check the tuition and fee schedule for online courses to decipher any extra fees. For me, the extra technology fees were not an issue since I was just happy to be able to earn a bachelor’s degree from the comfort of my own home!
When I assess the value of any of my classes I think of two things. The financial value and the value of the skills I obtained from the class.
The financial value has been tremendous. For each set of credits, beyond my bachelor’s degree I earned significant pay raises. These raises were cumulative and I was able to support my family.
Eventually, I did reach the top of the salary schedule, but did not lose interest in graduate classes. I started taking classes to improve my teaching skills or to stay up to date. As education goes more digital I am glad I have taken classes on the use of computers, or online classes using computers. Next year I will be required to use an online grade book, and I am not threatened or upset as some of my colleagues. I have prepared myself for the change and was ready long before my employer required me to use digital tools.
The online graduate classes offered a way for me to take classes, without having to juggle my time. I tend to take more classes because of the flexibility the online environment offers. The added bonus is I have learned to use more digital tools, as a result of these online classes. Whenever I take an online class I am always analyzing the tools and methods the professors use, to see if I can adapt them for my middle schools students. The value of online classes for me is greater than the on site classes. There is so much more practical application, as I turn to teaching in an online environment after being a student in the online environment.
Old dogs can and should learn new tricks. I have seen public school teachers retire or quit because they don’t want to change what they do, even if that change is better for the students, helps to communicate with parents, or is just more efficient. It is ironic that people, who are charged with educating today’s youth, don’t embrace learning something they need to learn to improve their job skills. Computers and the online environment are not a passing fad, which will go away. I am one dog who is invigorated by the online environment and its use in education.
