The Ever Changing World of Higher Education

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The Ever Changing World of Higher Education

Embracing Technology

Upon close examination into the past decade of higher education it would be appropriate to say that the most positive changes have been brought about by the adaptation of technology. In fact, no other single thing has brought about so much change in such a short period of time, and with such positive results. Of these changes, I have chosen to discuss the ones I think have had the most impact. First, would be the availability of higher education to a greater majority and a much more diverse group of individuals, followed by the impact technology has had on school revenues, and lastly, the impact it has had on the learning process.

One of the ways this has been accomplished is through online learning, or distance learning, as it is referred to. We do not have to look too far back into our past to realize a time that this would have been impossible to imagine. Yet, today millions of students ranging in ages from eighteen to eighty are enjoying the flexibility distance learning affords them, some of whom would not have been able to continue their education otherwise because of life’s circumstances: work, family, transportation, etc.

Recently the National Center for Education Statistics explored data to determine how participation in distant learning courses varied with student characteristics. “Key findings include: (1) From 2000 to 2008, the percentage of undergraduates enrolled in at least one distance education class expanded from 8 percent to 20 percent, and the percentage enrolled in a distance education degree program increased from 2 percent to 4 percent” (Radford 22). The numbers would certainly be higher now since an additional three years have pass...

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