Online Degree Programs
Jan 28, 2010 Comments Off
I found Hassan’s reading to be especially interesting when it discussed the idea of online degrees. While i have seen numerous commercials for various types of online degree programs, I never stopped to actually think about the information that the commercials were conveying. I failed to realize, as Hassan pointed out, that the commercials emphasize the efficiency of the degree program, instead of the actual educational value that the student would receive from completing the program. While the various online schools briefly mention that their programs can open up many opportunities for their students once they have the degrees, they fail to mention many specifics. However, they do spent a significant amount of time emphasizing the short time needed to complete their programs and the convenience of being able to attend classes in your home.
While many people do have lifestyles that would benefit from the ability to take online classes instead of physically having to attend a campus, I feel like the majority of these commercials are directed towards teenagers and young adults. This age group is made up of the generation that has grown up in the “information society” and is becoming more and more dependent on technology and technological advances. I feel that many people have become so dependent on constantly being attached to some type of technological device that these online classes further cater to their desires. People taking online classes can attend these classes while still being on their computer and having the ability to check their facebook or twitter accounts at the same time. Consequently, they miss out on the traditional “college experience”, but more importantly their lives and interactions with professors, for example, become even more depersonalized.
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