Featured Articles on OnlineEducation.com
As part of an ongoing commitment to provide students with clear and comprehensive guidance on online education and degree programs, OnlineEducation.com offers a broad range of informational resources on relevant topics in the field of higher education. These articles are meant to complement our rigorous research and reporting on specific online degrees, on trends in online learning, and on careers in fields linked to particular academic programs. The features section includes general interest stories, in-depth reports, and practical guides that delve into a wide array of subject areas, extending beyond online education, and reaching out into the larger world of knowledge and scholarship.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Degree Programs
The challenges for online students are well documented. We do not talk enough about the strengths that online students bring to the classroom. Recognizing the experience and passion that adult learners bring to the classroom is fundamental to supporting students.
The Biggest Higher Ed Story of the Decade: How Online Degrees at Scale Will Transform Education
We spoke with professors that are also experts in the design and rollout of scaled online degrees to learn more about the development of online degrees at scale and what they could mean for students.
The Chinese-American EdTech Space Race: Who is Best Set to Win Global Education Markets?
With recent TikTok and WeChat drama highlighting business competition between U.S. and Chinese tech companies, the same trend may be on the horizon for edtech products. Find out what players are best set up to succeed in education markets worldwide.
The Digital Equity Initiative: Bridging Washington’s Educational Divide With Expanded Access
The novel coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the digital divide impeding online educational access and support for many students from low-income families as schools moved the majority of their operations online in efforts to stem the spread of the virus.
The Emergency Connectivity Fund – Should High-Speed Internet Be Considered a Public Utility?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently hosted a new application window for the Emergency Connectivity Fund. This third application window is intended to support schools and libraries in the upcoming school year as part of the FCC’s effort to support student access to educational opportunities.
The Future Online Classroom: Augmented & Virtual Reality
As virtual reality began to dip its toe into the mainstream, the first obvious use case for immersive technology was gaming. However, the education industry would soon benefit from VR as well.
The Measurable Impacts of Covid on Education
Preliminary data quantifies the impact of Covid-19 on higher education and students, providing insight into the tumultuous period’s impact on the education sector. OnlineEducation.com spoke with an expert who has studied the impact of Covid-19 on education to gain his insight on the pandemic’s evolving challenges for students and higher education.
The Modern Minister: How Online Ordainment has Created a New Avenue for Entrepreneurs
A significant portion of individuals who get ordained online perform just one ceremony at the request of their friend or loved one and never end up officiating again, but others find that performing wedding ceremonies is a fulfilling experience that they want to continue to replicate—and a legitimate way to earn money.
The Most Promising EdTech & Online Learning Startups in 2021
Education is a $6 trillion industry projected to increase to historic levels and reach $10 trillion by 2030. However, the education sector is starved of capital compared to other sectors, especially when it comes to digitalization. This fact was highlighted as Covid-19 forced many education providers and students online across the globe in 2020.
The New American Dream: Reforming Higher Education to Promote Social Mobility
James Truslow Adams coined the term “American Dream” during the Great Depression. More than 80 years later, getting a college education is hailed as a ticket to the American Dream. But is it really? The truth is that some U.S. universities are much more successful than others at promoting social mobility among the students that need it most.
The New Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Program: What to Know
Much has changed since our August 2023 report on the new strategies for the Biden student loan forgiveness initiative, which we presented in our feature article “Student Debt Relief: How “Plan B” Relies on This 1965 Law.” Proposals for the new “Plan B” slated for release during fall 2024 now differ from the original program in several significant ways that borrowers need to understand.
The Rise of MOOC-based Master’s Degrees at Elite Universities
People pursue master’s degrees for the same reasons they always have: their profession requires that level of education, or it will help them reach the next pay grade in their current job. That said, the way in which students can complete a graduate-level program has changed, and traditional on-campus degrees are no longer their only option.
Three Universities with Exceptional Social Work Faculty
The National Association of Social Work Professions (NASW) describes the primary goal of careers in social services as enhancing the well-being of the most vulnerable and oppressed members of society. These 14 social work professors have demonstrated expertise gained through years of professional field experience and academic scholarship.
Three Universities with Outstanding Speech Pathology Faculty
This guide profiles 15 outstanding members of faculty from three universities with fantastic speech pathology programs.
Three Universities with Phenomenal Psychology Faculty
Learn about three first-rate university psychology programs and 15 phenomenal faculty members that shine in the classroom and beyond.
Top CIOs on Twitter
CIOs play a vital role in the modern economy, guiding companies in all different industries towards the right strategic information technology investments. The CIOs on this list are active C-level officers who are also engaged on Twitter.
Top Dems Urge Cardona to Recoup Phoenix, Ashford Student Loans
After the Biden Administration had wiped out $109 million in student loan debt during the third quarter of 2023, the U.S. Department of Education now finds itself under pressure from congressional Democrats who want tax relief for their constituents.
Top Five Factors to Consider When Choosing an Online Master’s Program
Being a distance-based student is an investment of time and money. Choosing an accredited school with support from faculty, a student-focused learning experience, career-based networking opportunities, and accommodating academic schedules is critical to making the most of an online educational experience.
U.S. Student Loan Forgiveness Proposals: Who Stands to Benefit?
Proposals for student loan forgiveness have been debated for years. They have come under increased attention with the financial impact to student borrowers struggling to make ends meet during the novel coronavirus period.
Universal Design: Improving Online Learning for Students with Disabilities
Making physical spaces and products more accessible and inclusive is important. The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) created the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and guidelines to support the process of making learning transformative for all students.
University of California Bans Fully Online Undergraduate Degrees
Although the UC System has never officially offered undergraduate programs available completely online, savvy students could cobble together enough of the online versions of the university’s courses to satisfy degree requirements without attending any of those classes in person.
University of California to Offer Free College Classes Online to Low-Income High School Students
The University of California System will launch a new initiative to offer online undergraduate courses for free to low-income high school students nationwide starting early in 2024. In collaboration with the National Education Equity Lab (NEEL), UC will start by offering two of its existing courses in high schools but plans to add more classes in the coming months. Students will earn both high school and transferable UC college credits for each class.
University of Phoenix Deal Faces Showdown With Idaho’s Legislature
In one of the fastest-moving stories we’ve ever covered here at OnlineEducation.com, a legal memorandum by the Idaho Legislature’s counsel marked a turning point in the battle over the University of Idaho’s proposed acquisition of the online, for-profit University of Phoenix.
University of Phoenix: Biden Cancels $37 Million in Loans for 1,200 Students
In September 2023, the Biden administration announced that it would approve $37 million in student loan cancellations for more than 1,200 former students enrolled at the University of Phoenix between 2012 and 2014 who essentially claimed that the for-profit school scammed them.
University of Texas and Coursera Expand Online Microcredential Program
In August 2023, the University of Texas launched an expanded microcredential program designed to better prepare UT students and alumni for changing workforce demands within the State of Texas. Part of the UT system’s initiative known as Texas Credentials for the Future, the new program will provide 240,000 students from the nine UT campuses with access to Coursera’s Career Academy at no additional cost.