| Getting an online education college degree is the wave | | | | programs evolve, competition will increase, and costs |
| of the future! The increase in adults going back to | | | | to students will decrease. |
| school has jumped from 28% in 1970 to 39% in 2006. | | | | 4. New degree programs will develop. New degree |
| In 2001, 92 million (46%) adults participated in | | | | programs, related to online education will develop. Such |
| educational ventures. (Statistics may be found at | | | | programs might include: online student counseling, online |
| eLearners.com) But, the largest group of online | | | | education site debate/discussion host, etc. |
| education participants is the one earning online college | | | | 5. More students will enroll in online education programs. |
| degrees. Here is a summary of the levels of degrees, | | | | Each year the enrollment in programs continues to |
| types of degrees, and majors, as well as "10 | | | | increase and will continue to do so. More than 1.6 million |
| Predictions for Online Education in 2007." | | | | students took at least one online course in 2002. In |
| Four Levels of Online Education College Degrees: | | | | 2003, 1.9 million students took online courses. In 2004, |
| Associate Degrees. | | | | more than 2.3 million students enrolled. In 2005, the |
| Bachelor's Degrees. | | | | number of online learners increased to almost 3.2 |
| Master's Degrees. | | | | million students. (Source: Making the Grade: Online |
| Doctoral Degrees. | | | | Education in the United States, 2006, Sloan |
| Types of Online Education College Degrees & Majors: | | | | Consortium) |
| Arts & Humanities Degrees: Liberal Arts, Humanities, | | | | 6. Specialized programs will begin to emerge. Students |
| Design, Writing, Communications, English | | | | with learning disabilities will be able to take advantage |
| Business & MBA Degrees: MBA, Management, Human | | | | of special online programs created just for them. |
| Resources, Marketing, Finance, Accounting | | | | 7. Attitudes toward higher education will begin to |
| Computers & I.T. Degrees: Information Technology, | | | | change. The general public will soon see degree |
| Web Design, Networks, Technology Management | | | | programs as accessible to the average person, rather |
| Education & Teaching Degrees: K-12, Early Childhood, | | | | than just the highly intelligent. |
| Administration, Special Education, Curriculum/Instruction | | | | 8. The time to obtain a degree will shorten. It will take |
| Health & Nursing Degrees: Nursing, Psychology, | | | | less time to obtain a degree as students will be able to |
| Counseling, Health Administration, Human Services | | | | work year-round, at any time of the day or night, |
| Science & Engineering Degrees: Engineering, | | | | transfer courses from other programs, and earn |
| Technology, Mathematics, Aviation | | | | course credit by challenge exams. Two years is |
| Social Science Degrees: Criminal Justice, Paralegal, | | | | generally the minimum amount of time in which degree |
| Law, Psychology, Public Administration, Political Science | | | | programs can be completed, although this varies, |
| Some careers require only associate degrees | | | | based on any time off between courses and previous |
| (equivalent to the first two years of a college | | | | classroom work. Many students complete a degree in |
| education). These include: physical therapist assistants, | | | | two to three years, but it can take four or five years |
| dental hygienists, forensic technicians, veterinary | | | | or more, depending on the pace. The more credits |
| technologists and technicians, diagnostic medical | | | | transferred, the faster the degree will be completed. |
| sonographers, occupational therapist assistants, | | | | You can earn credits from professional training, the |
| cardiovascular technologists and technicians, paralegals | | | | College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or |
| and legal assistants. As these jobs require only a two | | | | previous college courses. (Source: "Frequently Asked |
| year degree, they are paid well and well respected. | | | | Questions") |
| 10 Predictions About Online Education in 2007 | | | | 9. Most online colleges will begin to offer course credit |
| 1. Online education programs will continue to grow and | | | | for life experience. More credit will be given for life |
| expand. More programs will be offered online to earn | | | | experiences, especially to older students. |
| online degrees and those programs currently offered | | | | 10. New programs will begin that are hybrids. New |
| will grow to include additional areas of study. | | | | programs will be developed that combine traditional |
| 2. Technology will advance. Technology is continually | | | | on-campus education with online education or work |
| improving and replacing older technologies. More | | | | online study programs. |
| options will gradually become available to students as | | | | Getting an online education college degree is the wave |
| online education access speeds up - such as online | | | | of the future! Use the 10 predictions about online |
| access to evaluations of their homework, etc. | | | | education in this article to begin your search for the |
| 3. Costs will decrease. As more online education | | | | online education college degree that is best for you. |