Online classes transforming the college landscape

Rochelle Stewart Rubino summarizes, "Fueled by changing demographics, online education is quickly becoming what some experts describe as “disruptive innovation.”

That is, it “will change the way we think about higher education,” said Dr. Philip DiSalvio, dean of University College at the University of Massachusetts Boston, an expert on online education trends."

Photo: Boston Herald

DiSalvio described disruptive innovation as something that “changes the face of an industry.” For example, cellphones replacing land lines and pay phones.

According to DiSalvio, by 2016, 25 million college students will be taking some of their classes online.

“If that trend continues, by 2018 there will be more full-time online students that take all their classes (online).”

“Over 70 percent of students in higher education can be considered nontraditional adult leaners,” he said. “That’s why online learning is resonating.”

DiSalvio said many traditional bricks-and-mortar institutions, even elite ones such as MIT and Harvard, have expanded into the online realm.

Universities such as MIT and Harvard are experimenting with a new program through EdX called Mass-ive Open Online Courses (MOOC), which are free and taught by the faculty at Harvard and MIT.
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Source: Boston Herald