Ryan
11-24-2004, 05:34 AM
I am putting this here even though the article could also be a school focus. It discusses complete online programs at McHenry County College and also why accreditation as well as the right facilities matter.
Getting your degree online:
http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intID=3831383
Excerpts:
As if taking English 101 in your pajamas wasn't good enough, now McHenry County College - and soon other area colleges - will offer whole degrees from the comfort of your computer.
McHenry County College students now can earn associate degrees in science, art or general education through online degree programs.
"Now we can legitimately say you can get a degree online," said Julie Giuliani, director of Distance Education at McHenry County College.
Although its electronic program is far from the first to receive accreditation, the college is on the leading edge of the trend of colleges adding whole degrees online.
...
Whether a degree is accredited online matters deeply, however, to those passing out the degrees, said Sally M. Johnstone, executive director of the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications.
The group studies distance education issues on behalf of colleges and universities in 43 states.
Without accreditation, a college can't offer a degree online, even if it technically can provide every class that way.
The need to separately accredit online degrees also guards against fraud in what in some ways is the Wild West of education.
"It's not hard to build a nice looking Web site. It's real hard to build a fancy campus," Johnstone said.
To nab the seal of approval from the commission, colleges must prove their online classes meet educational standards. That's easy for most institutions that already teach the courses in classrooms.
...
Getting your degree online:
http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intID=3831383
Excerpts:
As if taking English 101 in your pajamas wasn't good enough, now McHenry County College - and soon other area colleges - will offer whole degrees from the comfort of your computer.
McHenry County College students now can earn associate degrees in science, art or general education through online degree programs.
"Now we can legitimately say you can get a degree online," said Julie Giuliani, director of Distance Education at McHenry County College.
Although its electronic program is far from the first to receive accreditation, the college is on the leading edge of the trend of colleges adding whole degrees online.
...
Whether a degree is accredited online matters deeply, however, to those passing out the degrees, said Sally M. Johnstone, executive director of the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications.
The group studies distance education issues on behalf of colleges and universities in 43 states.
Without accreditation, a college can't offer a degree online, even if it technically can provide every class that way.
The need to separately accredit online degrees also guards against fraud in what in some ways is the Wild West of education.
"It's not hard to build a nice looking Web site. It's real hard to build a fancy campus," Johnstone said.
To nab the seal of approval from the commission, colleges must prove their online classes meet educational standards. That's easy for most institutions that already teach the courses in classrooms.
...