Originally published February 21 2006
Online college courses gain momentum
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to a survey by The Sloan Consortium, at least 2.3 million people took some kind of online course in 2004. More and more schools are offering a variety of online courses because of a rise in interest from on-campus students.
Andy Steele lives just a few blocks from the campus of Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, so commuting to class isn't the problem.
But he doesn't like lectures much, isn't a morning person, and wants time during the day to restore motorcycles.
So Steele, a full-time senior business major, has been taking as many classes as he can from the South Dakota state system's online offerings.
He gets better grades and learns more, he says, and insists he isn't missing out on the college experience.
At least 2.3 million people took some kind of online course in 2004, according to a recent survey by The Sloan Consortium, an online education group, and two-thirds of colleges offering "face-to-face" courses also offer online ones.
At some schools, online courses -- originally intended for nontraditional students living far from campus -- have proved surprisingly popular with on-campus students.
Motives range from lifestyle to accommodating a job schedule to getting into high-demand courses.
Washington State had about 325 on-campus undergraduates taking one or more distance courses last year.
"Business is really about providing options to their customers, and that's really what we want to do," said Sheila Aaker, extended services coordinator at Black Hills State.
Many schools, like Washington State and Arizona State, let individual departments and academic units decide who can take an online course.
Administrators say the distinction between online and traditional is now so meaningless it may not even be reflected in next fall's course catalogue.
ASU's director of distance learning Marc Van Horne says students are increasingly demanding both high-tech delivery of education, and more control over their schedules.
"It's a little harder to get motivated," said Washington State senior Joel Gragg, who took two classes online last year (including "the psychology of motivation").
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