Online Degree-Quality of Learning Online

Online Degree:. An online degree is an academic degree usually a college degree, but sometimes the term includes high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting. Improvements in technology the increasing use of the internet worldwide, and the need for people to have flexible school schedules while they are working have led to a proliferation of online colleges that award associate bachelors, master's and doctoral degrees.

Quality of Learning Online:.
Online education enables individuals living with physical disabilities, busy full time employees, soldiers those living abroad, and stay at home parents, among others to have access to accredited higher education. The perception of the quality of online degrees compared to on campus degrees varies. While most major online colleges are regionally accredited, the public estimation of their quality is in dispute. A national survey of hiring representatives showed that a preference toward on campus degrees exists. In some instances hiring executives were unwilling to consider applicants with an online degree. Some experts argue that degrees in certain fields are more accepted online than in others while some programs are less suited for online online only schools.
A survey by the Distance Education and Training Council found that 100% of employers who responded felt that distance education program graduates performed better on the job as a result of their degree. Additionally, employers felt that an employee receiving a distance education degree compared favorably, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree. On the other hand The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 on a Vault Inc. survey that found 55 percent of employers referred traditional degrees over online ones. Forty one percent however, said they would give "equal consideration to both types of degrees."
The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on the state of United States distance education. In its 2006 report "Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006," it stated that "in 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face to face. That number is now 62 percent a small but noteworthy increase.
In some instance an online degree may be effectively indistinguishable from a degree earned in a campus based program. The instruction is often exactly the same, with the online degree offered to Columbia University students who earn a degree through the Columbia video Network versus the campus based program. The professors courses homework tests and eventual transcripts and diploma are identical to that of on campus students.

Prevalence of Online Education:.
The National Center for Education Statistics conducted a distance education study based on the 2001-2002 academic year at United States 2-year and 4-year degree-granting institutions that were eligible for U.S federal student aid. The study reported that 56 percent of institutions surveyed offered distance education courses. The study also found that public institutions were more likely to offer distance education than private institutions were.