Dreams Reinvented - How Distance Learning Is Changing The Way Americans Look At Higher Education

In America, dreams and education go hand in hand.learning than with location. At first, it may be difficult for
I remember the day when my father and motherfamilies to realize that the old ritual of dropping a son
dropped me off at college. My father was anor daughter off at college is about to become an
immigrant who had come to America when he was 11artifact of the past - and that a good education can be
years old. My mother, the daughter of a travelingdelivered electronically. What will matter is how
salesman and a seamstress. Neither of my parentseducation happens - not where it happens. This kind of
had gone to college, so I was living a dream for themnew thinking is already taking place, but full acceptance
by going to college. I was going to have a "better life." Iwill take some time.
was going to succeed. And the day they dropped meA new kind education-based class structure will
off on campus was when it all began.develop. Wealthier "old school" Americans who can
I realize that not all families view education in exactlypay absurd tuition costs will continue to send their
that way. But the fact remains that Americans havechildren to high-ticket, exclusive colleges and
always placed great value on education. Newly arriveduniversities. But a class of "new school" Americans will
immigrants to America continue to value educationevolve too. These "new schoolers" will be just as well
today. In fact, the quality of America's schools andeducated as the "old schoolers," and they will be just
colleges is a big reason why new Americans continueas successful. The fluff and elitist trappings of
to arrive on our shores."exclusive" educations will hang on, but will start to look
How are those dreams going to change in the newas silly as they really are.
world of American distance learning - a world wherePeople will have to accept a new kind of educational
students can do their coursework from theirtimeline. In the old days, most people went from high
computers anywhere? I don't have a crystal ball, butschool to college to working. That chronology is
here are some changes that I can predict. Some ofalready disappearing. People today are attending
them, in fact, have already begun...college whenever it makes practical sense to do so.
A new and practical outlook will evolve about theThere is no longer the belief that if you don't start
value of education. With tuition costs rising at a ratecollege after high school, the opportunity will be lost.
that far outpaces the rate of growth in personalA better new world will evolve, where people of all
income, fewer Americans are going to go to collegekinds will be able to attend college. Thanks to new
just because doing so is part of the American dream.educational offerings like those offered at
We have reached a tipping point where AmericansStraighterLine, virtual classrooms can include students
are placing practical value above vague notions of thewho are just starting college, students who are in the
"status" of a college degree.military, students who are parents, and students who
A variety of non-college certifications will become justare already working full-time jobs. This new diversity
as coveted as college degrees. This is alreadywill make virtual classrooms highly evolved places to
happening today, as more students are training forlearn - settings where people can bring their diverse
needed professions and jobs instead of getting collegeand unique perspectives to the shared process of
degrees and then thinking about employment later on.learning.
In the future, students and their families will take moreNo mistake about it. American higher education is
pride in pursuing training that is practical and useful.changing fast. But thanks to the growing prevalence of
People will accept that education has more to do withdistance learning, something else is changing too.