They contend digital degrees are a poor substitute for on-campus classes and too many institutions are jumping on the bandwagon with poorly designed courses. They believe students drop the distance courses at a higher rate, which is supported by some campus studies but is not well-documented nationally. And, they say, nothing beats the experience of being in a real classroom. Distance education is least effective for students ages 18 to 22, says history Professor Dennis Trinkle, DePauw University's associate technology coordinator. Distance learning courses aren't a very good place to grow up.
College campuses are.
Younger people particularly need help in developing discipline and communications skills and in learning how to live and work with people, he said. Carole Fungaroli Sargent, a Georgetown University English professor, took a closer look at distance degrees in a book published last year. She reviewed many of the degrees and interviewed 200 older, nontraditional students across the country. She found that many students felt discouraged and isolated and failed to be inspired, the most important aspect of higher education. Older students, too, should be interacting in a campus setting to get the most out of their experiences.