Interest in Online Courses Rising as Gas Remains Above $4 Per Gallon
Students at many colleges are opting for online courses this summer
in an attempt to save money on gas, according to an article in
The Chronicle of Higher Education (“Gas
Prices Drive Students to Online Courses,” July 8, 2008).
"All across the country, community colleges and universities are
getting requests for online programs specifically with students
mentioning the price of gas," said Ray Schroeder, director of
learning at the University of Illinois at
Springfield. At many schools online education is booming, and
enrollment numbers are up:
While it may be too soon to tell, some experts believe that the
increased interest in online courses could change how some schools
do business. For instance, many colleges may begin offering a wider
range of online courses in several different subjects.
Other schools have already begun experimenting with blended courses
that incorporate both on-campus and online meetings, so that
students can cut back on the number of days they have commute to
school each week.
But some officials say that the rise in online enrollment may be a
trend that only pertains to summer courses, because those classes
tend to meet more frequently causing more days of driving for
students during the week.
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