Distance Education Becomes a Major Part of Course Catalogues

Chronicle article.

A majority of colleges in the United States — 65 percent — offer college-level, credit-granting distance-education courses, according to a survey released today by the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the U.S. Department of Education.

It is another sign that distance education is becoming a staple of college life.

One of the Comments:

I am a part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system that has reported high growth in distance enrollment. This shift seems to continue relentlessly. I’ve heard our statewide enrollments in online courses is up 25% again in the coming Spring 2009 semester – and this is with $1.50 gasoline. Our enrollments were going up rapidly well before the gas spike and have continued afterwards. To me an essential factor is time and flexibility for students. Reducing barriers to educational access should always be something we strive for in higher education and distance education is one way of achieving that. — Sandy Schaeffer Dec 31, 10:53 AM