Increasingly, courses and entire educational programs are being delivered by electronic means to supplement, or supplant, traditional schools and classrooms.
New technologies provide increased access and new choices for many students.
However, ensuring quality requires specific preparation and support systems. Educators must have training in educating in this manner and appropriate time to prepare and instruct. Students must have access to staff, facilities, and other institutional support mechanisms as they would if enrolled in traditional settings. Educators report distance education is time intensive and requires low student faculty ratios. In the rush to utilize new technology to increase learning opportunities, educational quality must be maintained.