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| Photo: Lauren Berg |
"At a retreat meeting
Saturday, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors explored ways to
enhance online learning and other digital opportunities for students at
UVa" summarizes Lauren Berg, reporter for The Daily Progress.
As
more and more schools across the country — including Penn State, the
University of Georgia and Liberty University — offer more online courses
and certificates, the technology provides opportunities for a wider
variety of students to pursue their education.
To
explore how UVa might better serve its current and future students,
Kristin Palmer, director of online learning programs at the university,
presented different ways in which universities and colleges utilize
online learning — including enhancing the education of residential
students and offering online learning opportunities for off-campus
students.
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| Kristin Palmer Contributed Photo |
At some schools, Palmer
said, changes in the type of education people are seeking have shaped
the way they offer online options. More and more people, she said, are
returning to college to further their education in specific skills to
advance their careers. For example, students in their 30s and 40s are
taking computer science classes to keep up with the rapidly advancing
technology, Palmer said.
Other
schools offer degrees and programs that guarantee a job after the
student has fulfilled their educational obligations. Still other schools
offer a variety of online micro-credential and certificate classes for
people who need to quickly and easily gain a marketable skill.
Currently,
UVa offers more than 50 online courses, 20 certificates and five
degrees, according to Palmer. The school also supports Massive Open
Online Courses, which are often free to the public and cover everything
from psychology and philosophy to mathematics and computer science.
Still
in the brainstorming phase, UVa President Teresa A. Sullivan said at
Saturday’s meeting that the first step would be to research the market
and determine what would and would not work for UVa. She said online
curriculum support for students will be very important, as will options
for nontraditional students.
“We’re
willing to think outside the box,” Sullivan said. “The sweet spot is
that there is so much new knowledge and people beyond college age want
it.”
Source: The Daily Progress
