Online assessment

What does it mean to hold an online
degree? This hot topic has been
debated since the initial Internet-based educational programs debuted in the
mid-1990s and began sending graduates
into the work force.

Could these degrees someday be viewed
as equal to traditional in-class educations
or possibly become the preferred method
for training high-potential employees?

“There’s nothing magical about a classroom education — it’s just the way we’ve
always done things,” says Tim Blumentritt,
Ph.D., online programs director, Kennesaw
State University, Coles College of Business.
“Considering the latest technologies, the
ability to communicate with and educate
students through an online course actually
can be superior.”

Smart Business spoke with Blumentritt
about how technology, connectivity and a
generation of Internet-savvy collegians
may soon be the key to removing the stigma attached to online education.

What recent advancements have increased
the popularity of online degrees?

Adult learners have become more comfortable with this type of communication
and are willing to depend on it for managing finances and communication with
friends. Also, the available technology is so
much cheaper, and the Internet has become so much faster and more efficient
that we’ve been able to create far more
robust teaching tools, like Web conferencing and captured presentations.

Does a stigma exist regarding online
degrees?

I believe there still is and, in some
respects, for good reasons. The Net has
created tremendous opportunities for people to provide nontraditional forms of education. While I respect all efforts to offer
and pursue further education, some of the
first online education providers were not
all that substantive. But people love the
convenience of online learning and are
becoming increasingly familiar with technology. Traditional universities have begun
waking up to these possibilities.

We are now transitioning to combining
this somewhat novel way of distributing
education and engaging students with the
same level of rigor traditionally associated with in-class degrees. There are some very
smart people from established institutions
who believe this can work, but until we get
a substantial population of graduates out
there doing good work, we’re not there yet.

How do employers view today’s online
degrees?

Some people still hold the view that if you
have on your resume an online degree, it
will be devalued. That’s just the way it is.
But most schools, including ours, are
attempting to differentiate the idea of getting an online degree from getting a degree
through online courses. That’s a small difference in terminology but a big difference
in meaning. If our institution can offer
degrees with the full affiliation of the
Board of Regents of the University of
Georgia, for example, and the full backing
of the AACSB International — the most rigorous accreditation process in business
education — then we can suggest that the
delivery method is somewhat irrelevant.

Who are prime candidates for online degrees
and certifications?

The first are the traditional college-aged
students who are most comfortable communicating through Internet-based mechanisms. They’re likely to intermingle online courses with in-class courses. The second
group consists of people who are completing degrees, those who started their education some years ago and had to stop their
education prior to getting a degree. A third
group is the relatively small population of
people looking for a full online education.

For businesses, online courses are an
excellent method for developing high-potential employees who simply lack the
appropriate degree. It’s a credible way for
them to complete those degrees without
upsetting their normal time commitments
to their employers.

Can an online education actually top a traditional classroom experience?

Absolutely. Instructors are assumed to be
experts. But the key for a good education is
knowledge transfer. One of my favorite
quotes is, ‘The most serious error in communication is the illusion that it has taken
place.’ The idea being that simply because
one person in a group is smart, and they
are leading the discussion, that everybody
else will be smart thereafter.

The latest iteration of online education
uses much more powerful levels of communication. Voice recordings can be added
to PowerPoint presentations, so students
get the same content as a traditional lecture. New software can capture screen
shots of Web pages and integrate active
Excel sheets that are synced with the professor’s notes and other course content.
Plus, all of this material can be posted to a
course Web site, so it can be accessed as
many times as necessary for the student to
learn the material.

How will online training change the future
business environment?

Tradition is often a desirable characteristic for universities. But distance communications and online activities are absolutely
standard in almost every industry. This suggests that business schools should be training future managers to be successful in an
online world. We have to make sure our
educational systems prepare people to
work in electronic environments.

TIM BLUMENTRITT, Ph.D., is online programs director,
Kennesaw State University, Coles College of Business. Reach him
at (678) 797-2075 or [email protected].