Quality of Online Versus On-Campus Learning is Indistinguishable
Drexel Research Team to Present Online Education Findings at Sloan-C Conference
Philadelphia, PA – November 7, 2006 – A research team from Drexel University has been invited to the 12th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on November 9, 2006 to present findings from an online vs. on-campus research study they conducted involving adult learners. This research team, made up of Dr. Kenneth Hartman, director of academic affairs at
Drexel University Online
and adjunct associate professor of education, Dr. Kristen Betts, director of the Master of Science in Higher Education program at Drexel and an assistant professor of education, and Mark Palladino, director of Institutional Research at Philadelphia University, conducted the first comparison study between adult students earning their degree on-campus (traditional) and adult students earning their degree through distance education (online) to compare the level of intellectual rigor and the impact that both delivery methods had on family and work-life issues.
“This is the first study of its type to compare the expectations and actual experiences of both on-campus and online adult learners, the results of which suggest the quality of on-line versus on-campus learning is indistinguishable”, said Hartman. “Quality of instruction is what matters the most to online students; therefore, it behooves all institutions offering on-line degrees to internally examine the experience and opinions of their online students.”
Sloan-C
has recognized that distance learning is one of the fastest growing avenues today in higher education and corporate training with asynchronous learning as the fastest-growing approach.
Sloan-C
will hold the 12th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on Asynchronous Learning Networks November 8 -10 at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, FL. More information about attending this conference and membership can be found at
http://www.sloan-c.org
. Drexel’s executive summary of their findings can be accessed at
http://www.drexel.com
.
About Drexel University Online:
Drexel University Online
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Drexel University, specializing in innovative, Internet-based distance education programs for working professionals and corporations in the United States and abroad. A pioneer in online education, Drexel has offered programs online since 1996. For more information on forming an educational partnership with Drexel University Online please visit
www.drexel.com
, e-mail
corporate@drexelelearning.com
, or call (877) 215-0009.
About Sloan-C:
Created with funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,
Sloan-C
encourages the collaborative sharing of knowledge and effective practices to improve online education in learning effectiveness, access, affordability for learners and providers, and student and faculty satisfaction.
Sloan-C
maintains a catalog of degree and certificate programs offered by a wide range of regionally accredited member institutions, provides speakers and consultants to help institutions learn about online methodologies; hosts conferences and workshops to help implement and improve online programs; publishes and conducts research, and offers an effective practices database so members can share the lessons they have learned.
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News Contact:
Kristin Leavey
Drexel University Online
(215) 895-0538
kml53@drexel.edu
