Report, poll show online education is losing its stigma
With its convenience and portability, online learning always has been a popular education option for the military population. Popularity aside, this form of learning also has always struggled from a societal stigma that it somehow isn’t as good or legitimate as more traditional forms of schooling. That seems to be changing.
A recent Education Department report found that online classes are at least as effective — if not more so — than traditional classroom instruction. Findings of the report further showed that some form of blended learning — a mix of traditional and online instruction — is the most effective form of student learning.
And a July poll by the Society for Human Resource Management found that acceptance of online learning in the work place is growing, too. According to SHRM, online degrees in general are viewed more favorably by 76 percent of the human resources professionals participating in the poll than they were five years ago.
Of course, unaccredited schools and so-called diploma mills also continue to thrive, making choosing the right school all the more important in this type of learning environment. Enter GetEducated.com, a consumer watchdog and advocacy group that rates, ranks, and verifies the quality and credibility of online schools. GetEducated.com is a trusted and invaluable site for exploring your online learning options.
And, as always, before you decide on a school, don’t take anyone else’s word for it on the question of accreditation. Check it out for yourself. Only the Education Department and the private Council for Higher Education recognize accrediting organizations. Make sure your school is accredited by an organization recognized by one of them. CHEA maintains databases of both recognized accrediting organizations and institutions/programs accredited by recognized U.S. accrediting organizations.
