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Online Learning is the New Choice in Education

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By Thomas Hauck

You're at a dead end in your career. Perhaps you've been laid off. We're in a tough economy and you know that to bring home a paycheck you need to get career training or a college degree. You've decided to go to back to school.

Congratulations! The next question may be this: What school should you choose? Is there an accredited college near your home? Or should you consider an online program? Traditional colleges remain popular, but millions of Americans just like you are turning to online education. Why? Earning your degree online is convenient, and many Internet education programs offer the same quality education as classroom programs.

A recent report by the Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C), a non-profit group supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, reveals the tremendous growth in Internet education. Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008 answers some important questions about the growth and quality of Internet education programs. The report includes survey results from more than 2,500 colleges and universities.

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What Is Online Education?

Prospective students may be confused about just what constitutes online education as compared to traditional classroom education. Here's a quick breakdown:

• Traditional or face-to-face classroom instruction includes programs in which zero to 29 percent of the content is delivered online.

• Blended or hybrid instruction offers between 30 percent and 80 percent of the course content delivered online.

• Online courses are those in which at least 80 percent of the course content is delivered online. Some programs are 100 percent online.

The Growth of Online Programs

If you are considering an online program, rest assured that millions of people just like you are making the same choice. Online enrollments are skyrocketing!

• The Sloan-C survey revealed that during the fall 2007 term, 3.94 million people were taking at least one online course, an increase of 12.9 percent increase over the number reported the previous year.

• During the same period over twenty percent of all U.S. higher education students were taking at least one online course.

• In the five years since the first Sloan-C survey on online learning, the number of online students has more than doubled. In the fall of 2002 the number of students taking at least one online course was 1.6 million; the increase to 3.94 million by the fall of 2007 represents a compound annual growth rate of 19.7 percent.

Why Are People Choosing Online Education?

Specific aspects of an economic downturn correlate with increasing demand for online courses.

• Higher fuel costs can influence more students to select online courses.

• Schools that serve working adults with career-focused programs are increasingly popular.

• Many schools offer financial aid and career guidance services for both traditional and online students.

• The advances in computer technology and the proliferation of high-speed Internet access in homes makes online learning an attractive alternative.

• Convenience. You can earn a degree from an online college while you work your present job or take care of children at home. You can study at your own pace and your own convenience.

• Online courses offer real-time interaction with instructors and fellow students. You may get more personal attention from your online instructor than you would receive in a giant lecture hall on campus!

• Accredited schools make no distinction between the diploma earned in a classroom, online, or a blended program. The certificates are identical.

When choosing an online program, be sure to compare several colleges to discover which one is best for you. Log onto a reputable online college directory service and select several colleges or career schools that meet your requirements. Get their information. Compare programs and features including career development services and available financial aid. By making the right choice, you'll make the most out of the tremendous variety of quality career education programs available online.

Thinking about training for a new career? To make the best decision, you need the right information. Log onto http://www.Education-For-Careers.com and compare colleges. Get information about career training programs, degree programs, online education, financial aid opportunities, job placement services, and much more.

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