On-line Degrees in Higher Education

I recently read a short snippet from the March 2007 "The New York Teacher." There seems to be controversy over on-line degrees and whether a true degree is earned through this medium. It appears that specifically the University of Phoenix is raising questions as far as if the degrees obtained at this institution are valid.

"Among the findings of February's Times report by Sam Dillon:

· Students race through course work in about half the time of traditional universities.

· Phoenix's graduation rate of 16% is among the nation's lowest, with many complaints from the students.

· The Apollo Group, the university's parent corporation, has seen its stock plummet after the filing of a lawsuit alleging fraud in obtaining and processing financial aid, resulting in much turnover among top management.

· About 95% of Phoenix's instructors are part-time, compared to an average of 47% percent across all universities, according to federal statistics.

· Academic quality is sketchy."

These statements do raise serious "red flags." Any degree, at any level, should be earned and competency must be met before an advanced degree is conferred. If this trend continues, I foresee a serious impact on students and universities providing the convenience to their students.

Do students truly need to sit in a classroom in order to learn? Can there be alternatives to learning, especially for older students who have family and job responsibilities and would be prevented to partake in the normal classroom situation?

I have taken courses through various means - traditional classroom, video and on-line. Through my experiences, I have preferred the on-line method. This method must be structured in a way as to prevent "sketchy" learning and to ensure the desired outcome. My on-line classes always included several "chats" with instructors/fellow learners, textbook reading, papers, discussions and assignments.