Washington DC, July 6, 2011... In an upcoming new book, The Online University that is Best for You,
Dr. Fred DiUlus, an online school ratings expert and the CEO and founder of Global Academy Online, Inc. a prime outsource
provider to colleges and universities, devotes a chapter to exposing popularly held myths about online higher education. The
myths, he says, have been propagated over the years by online teaching critics who he says, "don't appear to know
they don't know".
Many detractors he suggests cling to the notion that a traditional ground-based education
is superior to all forms of online teaching. Their fear, he says, is seemingly enhanced by online learning's popularity
among students and the growing mass appeal it has in a very weak economy that demands of its workers more education.
DiUlus offers that four of the myths are genuinely stupid deductions promoted widely by those who should know better. "This
has been particularly troubling to online educators," he says, "as the myths are utterly nonsensical and an irrational
twisting of the truth, believed by many, in order to steer students away from online education." The public, DiUlus says,
"is catching on to these false proclamations as top universities in the world, one by one, adopt the methodology and
promotion of online higher education."
Myth #1: An online degree is no good and worthless.
Almost
70% of students that have taken both online and on-ground courses actually prefer online classes. The findings are based on
the annual research conducted by the Center for Ethics in Free Enterprise, Global Academy Onlne's non profit foundation.
The positive percentage continues to grow annually as more students enter online programs.
Myth #2: You need American
accreditation to possess a legitimate degree.
Foreign schools offering online courses are licensed in their home
nations permitting full articulation with American accredited universities. Diplomatically, they are recognized in the USA
without so-called American accreditation. Little known is the fact that the US Federal Government also does not require a
college or university anywhere in America to be accredited. Accreditation in the USA is strictly voluntary. US Dept. of Education
approved private agency accreditation such as North Central, Middle States, Western, etc., permits their member schools to
qualify for receipt of Government sponsored Federal Financial Aid; a process that has been described as an accredited marginal
school's Federal license to steal. On the other hand foreign universities, without the same so-called American recognition
along with accredited but totally online schools, are painted as less than worthy. Considering this includes schools like
the 1000 year old University of Bologna and the almost two hundred year old University of London, one quickly sees the absurdity
and disjointed value system of these bizarre claims of superiority of the American standard.
Myth #3: Good jobs
are not available to online degree holders.
Employers, public or private, require of employees and applicants
flaunting a college degree to first demonstrate its authenticity. In the USA that is now demonstrated by accreditation from
a recognized agency authorized by the US Department of Education, if it is an American school. In the case of foreign schools,
degrees can be validated by agencies certifying the work is equivalent to US accrediting standards. The notion that a Bachelors
degree or a Masters in order to be valid or of value to an employer must come first from an accredited classroom based school
is totally preposterous. Today, employers encourage employees and applicants to acquire schooling online as it permits employees
to do school and their work uninhibited by time constraints, travel and availability.
Myth #4: Online colleges
are easy to get in and easy to get a degree.
This dual myth's underlying fable supports Myth #1 - #3. Many
online schools have open enrollments but also demand that students be non traditional, older and allegedly more mature. As
a result the attrition rate can be higher than in a traditional university as enrolled students find matriculation both difficult
and well beyond their idea of "easy". Online degrees earned from universities with programs completely or
partially offered online require the same rigor and difficulty as that of their traditional classroom counterparts. US Dept.
of Education approved agencies demand it.
DiUlus observes that the majority of online students feel online classes
exact a high price in personal commitment. Individuals must sustain a discipline beyond mere study to manage and succeed online,
a fact generally unknown to anyone other than online students and their professors. He suggests aspiring online learners should
follow a strict protocol in selecting an online school that includes first checking school ratings, followed by personal interviews
with students and finally, tracking down and interviewing members of the school's faculty. Prospective students should,
he says, demand proof of the school's credibility and worthiness.
DiUlus' Best Worst Online Degree Programs
free online school rating service was first released in 2003 and is edited, updated and published annually.
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