It wasn't like the usual chatting in the classroom. But critics say that many of the studies cited in Russell's book are poorly designed, and they vehemently disagree with his point of view. Education requires a relationship between people because it's a process of identity formation, validation, encouragement, emulation, and inspiration. This only happens face to face. Further, the quality of distance-degree programs is uneven at present.
Students run the risk of being guinea pigs.
As she points out, program retention rates, which usually correspond with student satisfaction, range anywhere from 20 percent to the 97 percent that Urbana-Champaign's Library Education Experimental Program has achieved. Along with reputable universities, scores of diploma mills have entered the distance-ed business. The first line of defense against these scams, which take students' money but provide no education in return, is to make sure a school has been approved by one of the six regional boards that accredit universities. This stamp of approval is often a good indicator of program quality. Individual programs can also be certified in their fields by professional groups such as the American Psychological Association and the National League for Nursing.