Thursday, February 14, 2008
Online...The New Way to Diversity?
The article which I decided to read and respond to this week was titled, "Vitrual Path to Diversity." While the article focused the majority of its studies on the African American minority portion, it was quite informative in the fact that because of the online programs which is offered at University of Maryland University College, 32 percent of the enrolled students in the online program are African American. The total number of enrolled students in the online program is 90,000. According to the article, roughly 30 percent of the degrees given out by the univesity, are African American. Now the online programs that are offered by the college are generally aimed for the minority population or the low-income. This is not so much of a bad idea, because a higher education will lead you to a more successful and fruitful life. The online programs also fits into many of the working class people who do not have a lot of time on their hands and have exceptionally busy schedules. However, a drawback of this idea is that much of the online programs which are given are just to recieve a certificate, and as quoted by Susan Alridge, a bachelor's program could be "daunting." In my personal opinion, I am not really too sure if an online program is the best way to go. I feel that college or and form of education needs to have the interaction between professor and student. There is that special bond that you get, that personal attention and the human interaction. When looking at a computer screen, questions may arise and you may have no idea what to do. Though it would be nice to see a higher amount of minorites entering higher education schools, I just do not feel that online is the wisest decision. Community Colleges are a great way to start off, they offer night classes and it can easily fit into anyones busy schedule.
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2 comments:
For some students, it is impossible to get to school everyday for reasons like work, children, transportation, and if online classes are the only way they can get an education they should do it. Basically it comes down to what is better for a particular person. If it comes down to not going to school or taking online classes, the answer should be obvious. As far as the fact that a large percentage of minority students take online classes, it is probably just because there is a large percentage of minority students and i wonder how many african american students are enrolled in classes. Basically i feel any way that a student tries to get an education is a step in the right direction.
I'm not really sure, based on this post, how the discussion of African American online enrollment relates to the discussion of online classes versus community colleges; however, I think online classes definitely have a place in education. While I, myself, am not a fan of online classes, I know many people who have taken courses online and found them very rewarding. I enjoy the classroom atmosphere and would miss the in-class discussions; however, I could see myself taking an online class, if I needed a specific course that would not fit into my daily schedule. As a single mother, I can see how an online course could be a much more flexible option for some. Perhaps, this is why online courses have a high ratio of lower-income attendees. Most people within a lower-income bracket need to hold down a job, therefore, they are not able to attend regularly scheduled classes. I personally think the availability of online courses is an extremely beneficial alternative for anyone wishing to further their education, who cannot physically attend college.
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