Interesting article about what employers really think about online degrees

[Getiton1]

Education tends to be slow and traditional…Now that education is available faster and online some people (and I have to echo Sanantone's statement here) especially the older people in bow ties and Brooks Brothers don't KNOW about distance education. When you consider MOST if not all of the Ivy's offer most of their Masters core courses online and continue to add more and more online classes with each passing year…distance education is not going anywhere but UP! As more and more people enter management roles from nontraditional B&M, butt in seat classes…I think we will see the pendulum swing the opposite direction. Colleges and Universities (especially B&M ones) are losing enrollment to online degree programs because we are living in a information age. Online learning doesn't turn me off one bit. If I had a nursing graduate from a 4 year University program at say University of Mississippi with only a year of clinical experience vs. an RN with several years experience as an LPN or Medic with a 2 year degree from Excelsior…I have to tell you unless the 4 years University of Mississippi graduate had some stellar additional credentials or an interview that dazzled me or amazing recommendations and references…I would go with the distance education person with more actual field experience…why? Because in Nursing 95% of what you need to know to be a good nurse is gained in the 2 year program, and the CPNE (nursing exam) is so difficult and so stressful to pass…that I know if that nurse could pass that horrendous test, he or she could handle ANYTHING I threw at them…but the Medic I KNOW can think of their feet and the LPN that became and RN would understand the nursing process and long term care and the quirks of caring for the elderly and children who can look wonderful one minute and turn on a dime to hanging on for dear life. Experience is the best teacher! PLUS most people with distance degrees have to be driven, and driven to teach themselves a lot of the material. These are people that will look for the answers on their own before coming to me to look it up for them. Mrs. B. recently posted about how annoying this can be to a manager or supervisor. I have to agree. I never mind helping….but some me some initiative…I don't want to be the potential empoyees baby sitter! I want my employee to "baby sit" the project I assign them. My style is to be clear about the expectations and hire smart people who can figure out the best way to do something. I don't mind mentoring about the framework around the job…but I want to see that individuals brain work…I want to see their God given talents shine. Having an online degree shows me they didn't have to be glared at or reminded to do something. It means they likely did not have a chance for extra credit like they offer in most B&M schools. I know that the person with an online degree had the focus to complete a degree in a specific field without a nanny looking out for them…and I know they earned that degree by the time that resume reaches my desk.

I think a new survey should be done to see how the view of online learning has changed over the years and where it's headed. I think online learning is not only here to stay….but about to explode.

My feeling is we are ahead of our time. So don't look back, we won't be there ;D
-Tara

While I believe attitudes have changed over the past few years, I would like to see an up to date survey of employers. Past studies have been slightly negative, but younger people have a much more positive view of distance education. No offense to older individuals, but we just have to wait for a lot of these people to retire or die because they are set in their ways.

Reading the comments section on these types of articles gives me heartburn. There are so many people with and without college degrees who know nothing about higher education. I've even come across people who graduated from schools like Princeton who don't understand accreditation. It's amazing how people can form such a strong opinion about online courses when they have never taken an online course. For example, one commenter said that there are no assessments in online courses. Wrong! While some schools/programs might not have tests, many do. While many online courses require proctoring, some professors at Harvard give take home tests. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with take home tests; I'm just offering a comparison.