President-Elect Barack Obama Holds out High Hopes for Distance Learning

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Sunday, 11 January 2009

By Roberto Garabell  America's technological and economic, future rests on the education of today's higher education students, as well as tomorrow's high school students. These students are choosing distance learning degree programs in vastly increasing numbers. But does the next president of the United States support online degree programs? In fact, President-Elect Barack Obama is pushing for technological and conceptual developments that support secondary and higher education throughout the U.S. His campaign platform strongly emphasized enhancing the role of non-traditional learning. One of the ways in which he intends to accomplish this objective is through bringing Internet access to schools nationwide, as well as to enhance the availability of broadband Internet access to students at home as well as in the classroom. This strategy is part of the president-elect's plan to stimulate economic growth. Mr. Obama intends to use federal monies to make these goals a reality. In addition, he plans to lower the penalties for school districts whose students don't earn the test scores mandated by President George Bush's No Child Left Behind education reform. However, these steps may not even be enough. Many school districts already have sufficient access to broadband Internet, but have not properly implemented Internet technology into the classroom and learning experience. The successful use of technology does not depend on availability alone, but also on teacher attitudes toward its impementation, and their willingness to include computer technology in classroom teaching and lesson plans. Another of Mr. Obama's plans for improving the educational future of college students is to make the Pell Grant more accessible to economically disadvantaged students. In his speeches, however, he has not yet made clear whether or not he would welcome offering this federal aid money to students enrolled in non-traditional degree programs. If he does advocate this alternative, he will offer tens of thousands of students the ability to work while they earn a degree online. President-elect Obama also announced plans for simplifying the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). While this is needed, merely simplifying the application is not enough. Students who earn scholarships for college ought to be able to use these for any accredited traditional or distance learning degree program in the United States. Scholarships ought to be made available to anyone enrolled in any accredited college or university, traditional or otherwise. Furthermore, Mr. Obama plans to offer $4,000 to any college student who performs at least 100 hours of community service, which would greatly assist many students. It remains to be seen, however, whether he will afford this luxury only to students who attend traditional college degree programs, or if non-traditional students will receive these benefits as well. While Mr. Obama states that he is a supporter distance learning, he criticizes for-profit schools (many online degree programs are for-profit) by declaring that these programs drain money from non-profit institutions of higher learning. Therefore, although he states that he supports non-traditional higher learning, it's difficult to know with certainty that he will support them both financially and verbally. Educational author Tamita Amor is closely following Mr. Obama's words and actions concerning secondary and postsecondary education. Of particular interest to her and her readers at degreeboard.com are the future president's plans with regard to non-traditional degree programs. Stay tuned for the latest updates concerning Mr. Obama's plans for the future of education in America! Visit President-Elect Barack Obama Holds out High Hopes for Distance Learning. Online Schools Share Your Opinion. (0 posts) Tag it:

Last Updated ( Sunday, 11 January 2009 )

 

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