An online degree is an academic degree (usually a bachelor's degree, but sometimes the term includes a high school diploma and non-degree diploma) that can be obtained primarily or entirely through the use of a computer's Internet connection, rather than attending lectures in settings traditional campus. Improvements in technology, the increasing use of the Internet worldwide, and the need for people to have flexible school schedules when they work have led to the proliferation of online colleges that provide associate, undergraduate, master, and doctorate degrees.
Video Online degree
Accreditation
The purpose of educational accreditation, according to the US Department of Education, is to ensure that programs provided by higher education institutions meet acceptable levels of quality. ENQA, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, describes the role of external quality assurance in education as one that "combines accountability both for public certainty and an objective and developmental role to improve quality in institutions". In the field of online education, it is important to avoid unaccredited diploma factories that offer fake degrees, as this is unfortunately common. Students seeking a valid online degree must obtain accreditation evidence from the appropriate national or regional accrediting body.
In the United States, a fully accredited online college has earned university accreditation that is widely recognized from one of six regional accreditations. Each of the six geographic regions of the United States has one of these councils, a non-governmental body that oversees and accredits titling institutions headquartered in their area. The US Department of Education and the Council on Accreditation of Higher Education (CHEA) also recognize the Accreditation Commission for Distance Education (DEAC) as an accreditation organization for distance education institutions and educational programs offering online degrees.
Outside the United States, other national and regional accreditation standards apply, and may be very supportive, distance education. For example, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, or the Open University of Catalonia, has been accredited by AQU, the Quality Assurance Agency within the Catalan University System (full member of ENQA), since its inception in 1995, and has been called "A significant success story" as "the first virtual university sustainable and sustainable in the world ". Similarly, in Ireland, the Higher Education and Training Award Board (HETAC) has accredited a number of online academies and degrees, eg. Setanta College.
Maps Online degree
Quality
Online education enables individuals living with physical disabilities, full-time employees, military personnel, those living abroad, and home-based parents, among others, have access to an accredited higher education.
The perception of the quality of online degrees compared to the degrees on campus varies, but has increased in recent years. While most online colleges are regionally accredited, public estimates of their quality are still debated. A national survey of representative recruitment suggests that preference to degrees on campus exists. In some cases, hiring executives do not want to consider applicants with an online degree. Some experts believe that a degree in a particular field is more accepted online than in any other field, while some programs are less suited to online schools only. The main problem for an accredited and reputable online program is the proliferation of specialized online programs targeted in recent years.
A survey by the Accreditation Commission on Distance Education (DEAC) found that 100% of entrepreneurs who answered felt that graduates of distance education programs performed better on the job as a result of their degree (compared to their previous performance). In addition, employers feel that an employee receiving a distance education degree is better than, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree. On the other hand, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 about the Vault Inc survey. which found 55 percent of entrepreneurs preferred traditional titles rather than online ones. Forty-one percent, however, say they will give "the same consideration for both types of degrees".
The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on distance education of the United States. In its 2006 report "Making the Class: Online Education in the United States, 2006", it was stated that "in 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated learning outcomes in online education as equal or higher than those facing face to face. it's now 62 percent, small but important increase ".
According to Steve Lohr's article in the New York Times, a major study was conducted in 2009 funded by the Department of Education. The collected study dates from a 12-year period and concludes that the average online learning beats face-to-face teaching with small margins but statistics.
In many cases, online degrees earned through an accredited public or private university can be effectively distinguished from degrees earned in campus-based programs, sometimes referred to as "brick-and-mortar" programs. Instructions are often exactly the same, with an online degree that does not contain any special designation. Thus the same financial aid package is often available for online students, which has helped make it more accessible to traditional applicants. An example of an indistinguishable degree program is that offered by Columbia University. Students who earn a degree through Columbia Video Network (CVN) earn an exact degree of campus based programs. Professors, courses, homework, tests, and transcripts and diplomas are ultimately identical to students on campus. Another example is NYU Tandon Online which offers a fully online master's degree through New York University's Tandon School of Engineering.
In recent years many leading universities have been actively expanding their online counseling and learning programs in an effort to legitimize the online education arena. While admissions to online courses at prestigious universities have not seen a dramatic jump, there has been a great expansion in course offerings in recent years. Almost all Ivy League and top 20 universities now offer at least one online degree program or certification.
Prevalence of online education
The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) conducts distance education studies based on the 2001-2002 academic year in the United States 2 years and a 4-year degree awarding agency eligible for US federal student assistance. The study reported that 56 percent of the agencies surveyed offered distance education courses. The study also found that public institutions are more likely to offer distance education than private institutions.
The Sloan Consortium, based on data collected from more than 2,200 US colleges and universities, reports that nearly 3.2 million students took at least one online course during 2005 (a significant increase of 2.3 million reported in 2004). According to the same report, about two-thirds of the largest institutions have full online programs. In 2010, over 6 million students took at least one online course. By 2013, the number of students enrolled in online courses has increased to more than 6.7 million.
According to Steve Lohr's article in the New York Times, a major study was conducted in 2009 funded by the Department of Education. The collected study dates from a 12-year period and concludes that the average online learning beats face-to-face teaching with small margins but statistics.
Financial help
Until 2006, US students enrolled in online degree programs were not eligible for federal student assistance except at least half of their campus-based programs (a law established in 1992 and known as the 50 percent rule). In February 2006, the law was revoked, making federal student assistance in the form of federal loans, grants, and job studies available in the US for students enrolled in eligible online degree programs at qualified IV degree institutions.
See also
- Virtual university
- Distance learning
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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