Online grads sue USC

[dfrecore]

In a related opinion concerning online education, I agree that it often comes across as a HUGE RIPOFF when schools charge the same tuition for "in-residence" as they charge for online. Here's my position. I HATE IT! Most people know that when you place a course in the LMS Platform, no matter the level, with very slight variations in quality, it costs less to manage, implement and deliver than it is to teach in the physical classroom. First, the school buys the rights and access to an (LMS) Learning Management Platform. We all know it's usually a one-time/lifetime fee, or very minimal annual fee, for something like MOODLE or BLACKBOARD, etc. 

In-person courses are generally on an LMS as well.  Everything is managed online (Moodle, Canvas, whatever). All assignments are turned in online.  Generally, students are required to post online, and others to reply.

Third, the material/coursework within the LMS is usually static and redundant, often used for up to 5 years by the same professor or rotating professors using the same material, with very few modifications. They may change the syllabus once or twice and require an updated textbook sporadically. But by and large, the LMS is "cookie-cutter education." 

In-person courses do this as well.  If you think a professor teaching US History I for example, is changing his syllabus every year, you're crazy.  They use the same materials, books, etc. year after year after year.

Finally, and this is where the money comes in, they will either hire a part-time adjunct professor or instructor or ask an institutional professor (tenured or not) to begin teaching courses online. The LMS (or institution) often cares little about the qualifications and quality of the instructor. I've seen major universities hire community college adjunct "professors" or "instructors" to teach courses with minimal teaching experience, no research experience, or recent (graduate school) graduates. I've even seen Teaching Assistants teach within an LMS platform. 

In-person courses do this as well.  My worst teacher ever was a Chinese grad student who could barely speak English teaching Calculus I for Engineers at a 4yr state university.  She was AWFUL.  Unintelligible.  The entire class (of pretty bright students) failed the first exam with less than 50% average.  She told us we didn't study hard enough.  At least 70% of the class dropped it that day.  Please don't tell me that every professor/instructor at 4yr schools are awesome, because I've been there, and they're not.  Not even close.

With all of that, the school then charges very close to, or just under, the "regular tuition" because they know they can get away with 1. packing the course with 25 - 30 (or more) students paying (say $350/credit hour) x 3 credits = $1,050/per course. And 2, with 30 students, the school gets $30,000+ per course, and if you multiply that by 400 courses taught online, you can see how the $$$ can add up! Managing the MOODLE course costs $100 just to keep the course material updated and the annual fee (as an example), they charge the student ON TOP OF TUITION, a "technology fee", and then get an astronomical ROI when you take into account how many students are enrolled in one online course.

In-person courses do this as well.  Have you ever sat in a lecture hall with 400 other students for Psych 101 or Chemistry I?  Because I have.  Loads of fun.  And the schools all charge crazy fees for in-person.

Not to mention when they duplicate the course (called SECTIONS), and have 25 ENGLISH 101 courses per semester, using the same MOODLE LMS Platform. Again, different instructors, maybe different syllabus, maybe different textbooks, but same LMS. YOU DO THE MATH on how much money they make each semester, each academic year! And they can pay an adjunct professor 10% on each course they teach (usually 3 - 4 courses per semester), and the school keeps 90% of the tuition. So Liberty University and many schools with 40,000+ students enrolled are making BILLIONS on online LMS platforms.

In-person courses do this as well.