Distance Education (degrees, medical school, best, accredited)

[npumcrisz]

What is your take?

Easy and or convenient way to get a degree?
Do you phantom taking distance learning programs?
Are these college/ university programs worth it?
Which programs do you think are "NO NO" distance learning programs? I am presently thinking medical school programs. I hear they suck if not properly "done".

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

What is your take?

Easy and or convenient way to get a degree?

Yes

Do you phantom taking distance learning programs?

Yes, I'm taking this entire semester online.

Are these college/ university programs worth it?

Well, that depends on how much you are paying I guess

Which programs do you think are "NO NO" distance learning programs? I am presently thinking medical school programs. I hear they suck if not properly "done".

Well I will not give specifics; but my suggestion is to go to a school that has a strong "brick & mortar" presence as well (like Nova Southeastern University...although they don't have a medical program).

This is my first semester taking online classes; I have 4 of them. 1 is excellent (the course's website...actually done by the publisher of the textbook, has multimedia, a place for the instructor to upload movies and other media, and capabilities to support group work), 1 is good (it's a math class...so the instructor upload a lot of notes and links to resources and some animated examples...but overall it just boils down to you doing tons of homework to "get it right"), and 2 are not so good. The courses that I consider "not good" basically have you read through the book and e-mail in your homework and projects and take some tests at the local testing center. To me, that is not the best use of internet technology and I'm losing out on quality instruction interaction.

Like I mentioned before, this is my first semester taking any sort of online class really (years ago I had an Engineering class that was "internet enhanced" though). I'm a junior, and I really feel that the classroom environment fosters more success. But this is mainly because the online learning environment has the danger of being severly 1 dimensional. Again, there are exceptions to this (like my one class); but it's really touch and go at this point.

If it is possible in any way, try to talk to some students wherever you go. I was not able to do this, but I did check out RateMyProfessors.com , where I was able to find out some information about the professors at least (some who only teach online courses).

[npumcrisz]

I would look into all your suggestions.

[SiddharthaGautama]

Online degrees are ok and they are becoming more and more accepted. The only reason people think they are easy or convenient is because its all done online. The fact is its the same curriculum as it would be going to the actual school. You have the same professors and interact with students. People think they are a piece of cake just because its online, trust me this isn't the case.

However I would NOT do Phoenix Online, Strayer and the rest of for profit schools. These schools are a joke and not even worth putting on a resume. There are many good schools that offer degrees online: UMass, Florida, Penn State

Penn State and Florida currently have the 34th and 37th ranking as best business school in the country.

[npumcrisz]

Add FHCHS to your list

[wannabeaTexan]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

What is your take?

Easy and or convenient way to get a degree?
Do you phantom taking distance learning programs?
Are these college/ university programs worth it?
Which programs do you think are "NO NO" distance learning programs? I am presently thinking medical school programs. I hear they suck if not properly "done".

I don't know about taking medical school programs as distance learning. But they are not necessarily an easy and convenient way to get a degree. I took an English class last year online. Between having to rate other student's papers, having assignments due 5-6 nights of the week and not having the classroom atmosphere to really discuss anything, I would say it was anything but easy.

I took a math class on campus at the same time and it was much easier to get through.

[ZX14TJ]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

Which programs do you think are "NO NO" distance learning programs? I am presently thinking medical school programs. I hear they suck if not properly "done".

Thankfully, there is no such thing as a US regionally accredited medical school program.

[npumcrisz]

Originally Posted by ZX14TJ

Thankfully, there is no such thing as a US regionally accredited medical school program.

More infor please.... I promise to preserve my opinion on distance learning medical schools after your infor.

[charolastra00]

I'm not a huge fan. The only classes I take in college are discussion based (except for the 2 required lecture based classes.. but even those still had weekly 15 person discussion sections) so I see online courses as a huge waste of time. A class is a waste of time, to me, when you learn more from a book than from each other.

I do take MIT freeware courses online for fun and have since it came out when I was in high school. But I wouldn't consider it the same quality of education as if I was sitting in a room with other students.

[ZX14TJ]

Originally Posted by npumcrisz

More infor please.... I promise to preserve my opinion on distance learning medical schools after your infor.

Sorry, there is no more info to give. In the developed world, online medical schools just don't exist.

The closest a person could get to distance medical school is Oceania University in Samoa. They allow students to take the first two of four years via distance learning. However, the degree that is awarded after four years in virtually worthless outside of Samoa