President-elect Barack Obama claims to support distance learning degree programs, citing technological advances as one means of assisting students to enter 21st century classrooms and benefit from increased access to learning technologies. However, he vocally criticizes for-profit educational institutions, such as online degree universities, explaining that they are responsible for draining public education funds.
His approach to distance degree programs seem ambivalent at best. Further, he strongly advocates expanding the services of colleges traditionally serviced by the United Negro College Fund. I wonder whether he has taken a moment to review the educational research that clearly shows that African American and Latino students are enrolling in online degree university programs at a much higher rate than they are choosing traditional university degree programs?
Indeed, the rate at which these students are opting to attend top online schools is unprecedented, and has been increasing every year. According to education researchers, the rate at which minority students are leaving traditional campus degree programs and attending online degree programs has increased by as much as 500 percent in the last five years. Graduation rates among these students are also higher in distance degree programs than in traditional campus based alternatives.
One thing is certain: if Mr. Obama fails to take note of this important trend, he will limit the very students he is attempting to assist. Failing to account for the needs of students who want to earn a degree online could seriously decrease his ability to achieve his goals for education reform. Let’s hope he takes a moment to listen to and understand the needs and desires of all the American people instead of just assuming that he knows what’s best!
