Advocates believe online education opens the door for students
who may not have the time or financial wherewithal needed to succeed in a
traditional university or college classroom. While the potential remains, a
small pilot offered by San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, showed there
are also hidden costs.
The program, started last January, offered three
remedial and entry-level math courses through online startup Udacity, available
for $150 per student. The classes were open to anyone with a high-speed Internet
connection, but each class was capped at 100 students.
The prep school Oakland Military Institute (OMI) had
nearly 45 students participating in the program, but school officials had to
devote computer lab space, time, and equipment to students who didn’t have the
necessary Internet access at home. Laptops were provided, along with two staff
members to answer questions and keep students on task.
“Without having a class period to do it, I wouldn’t
have done as well,” said OMI student Ciara Lowry.
