Crash course in studying online p1 - Military - Education Strategies and Tips - Military Times EDGE

Many service members turn to online classes to help advance their military careers or start civilian ones — but universities and students warn that some online educations are better than others.

Varying experiences are why David Clinefelter, provost at Kaplan University, based in Davenport, Iowa, says those seeking an online education need to do some homework before they take their first class. Clinefelter says prospective students need to check out everything from the school’s accreditation to quality controls to their own learning styles.

Part of the problem with some online programs may be that their growth has been so explosive in recent years. For example, Kaplan University started offering online classes with just 34 students in 2001 and now has 54,000 students participating in its online programs.

“It’s a hang-onto-that-tiger-by-the-tail thing,” Clinefelter says. “The numbers are staggering.”

Clinefelter says any online university should offer the same quality of classes and instructors as those provided to students in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms. He also says students looking for an online education should:

å Make sure the online university is regionally accredited. The U.S. Education Department maintains a database of accreditation.

å Verify that the university offers a degree that will be valued by the industry or career you are pursuing.

å Check out not only the academic credentials of professors, but what real-world, professional experience they bring to the classroom.

å Ask whether the university will accept transfer credits in order to avoid paying for a class you’ve already taken somewhere else.

å Determine that there is a commitment to quality. For example, the classes should be consistent — not changing every time there is a new professor — and there should be a clear method for measuring student learning outcomes from the classes. Also, the university should be responsive to the demands of a profession, keeping current on what is needed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to compete.

å Think about the individual learning style. Although one student may need more human interaction and better communication than provided online, another may excel in written communication and working independently, so the online classes suit him or her. It’s a good idea to ask an academic admissions adviser or check the university’s Web site to find out the student/faculty ratio; how you will interact and communicate with faculty; the teaching style online; the opportunities to interact with other students; and what academic and/or technical support is available.

å Consider the age of the student. Those interviewed for this story agree that online courses are better suited to older students. Clinefelter says most of Kaplan’s online students are female, are in their mid-30s and have children.