Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I agree that the traditional college experience is indeed a valuable one (had it myself, loved it) for those who can afford it. It definitely appears, from trends studied by the Sloan Consortium and others, that online degrees work best for working adults and commuter students, rather than replacing the typical residential experience for 18-21-year-olds.

The digital divide, meanwhile, is still an issue in the U.S. but becoming less of one every day. A recent Pew research study reported that 80% of Americans use a computer “at least occasionally.” With the development of mobile learning technologies, cell phone ownership may end up being the defining hardware factor for distance education. We’ve got a ways to go, but plenty of ways to get there.

Online schools are and will continue to be a great idea for a number of reasons. I plan to get an online master’s degree, myself. They will become even more important as undergraduate degrees lose their status in the workplace. Both you and the article point out the tremendous effect it will have on the environment and you are completely correct. No argument here.

My objections to your ideas are more talking points about online colleges and universities in general. They have to do with some common characteristics of online programs.

First, online education assumes ownership or access to a computer, plus an internet connection. Not everyone can afford these things or has ready access to them. Some public libraries do not allow more than an hour of computer time, which could provide a problem. This has been changing, but how much, I don’t know.

The second assumption concerns social connections and the nature of learning. Part of college has become learning how to learn (a lesson that has increasingly become the job of college professors) and how to interact with others in person. Social in-person interaction has become, in my opinion, a skill not a given. Web 2.0 provides great opportunities for sharing knowledge, but at what cost? Social skills have deteriorated with the rise in social networking sites (I don’t pretend that I am somehow immune). I see it in myself as well. How well will online universities provide for this ever-growing disconnect? Do these programs alienate people or bring them closer together? I know that these programs have online discussion boards, which are great, but is the college experience something more than subject knowledge and a degree?

Online colleges and universities are great if you can afford them and are already a socialized member of society. The environmental factor is a great selling point and should be exploited for all it’s worth. Online programs should make provisions for the two points that I make above. I think online colleges and universities could become a great thing, with some work and help and colloration from the traditional c and u establishment.