But after talking to some pioneers in online learning, I've had a slight change of heart. Although I wouldn't go so far as to recommend that someone forego a college education in favor of logging on to an educational Web site, I can see some value in virtual learning. The biggest misconception that I had about online educational initiatives is that they are designed to replace traditional colleges and universities. However, for many virtual learning programs, this is not the case. This year, more than 13,000 students have enrolled in online courses at the school.
People sign up for online courses for many reasons.
Virtual learning is ideal for those who live far from traditional colleges or universities, as well as parents who can't take the time to attend nightly or weekly classes. Corporate training programs also are popular. But while the convenience of virtual classrooms is not in question, the lack of interaction among classroom participants has raised the eyebrows of educators such as Columbia's Levine. Virtual-learning advocates, on the other hand, argue that educators must learn how to exploit Internet technology to make it fit the classroom. Online courses use message boards and chat rooms to fuel discussion.