>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 08/20/02 09:26AM >>> The quality of "some college education," even the quality of some "four-year college degrees," is rather questionable. What many four-year institutions offers in the USA (and an increasing number of nations), to say nothing of community colleges, has come to bear closer resemblance to vocational schooling, with a sprinkling of arts and science courses attached to it as a sort of icing on the cake Yoshie <<<>>> consider computer and telecommunications companies, 'education' marketeers, higher education administrators, and various politicians pushing rapid increase of 'distance learning' programs. Towards this end, accounting and business consulting firm, Coopers and Lybrand, has issued report claiming that twenty-five 'packaged' courses can 'service' about one-half of community college enrollments...
report suggests that students will learn as much, if not more, from distance learning than they do from face-to-face learning in the classroom and on campus. Significantly, Coopers and Lybrand touts potential for institututions to cut costs as well as for students to study at their own pace. Wow - cheaper, more convenient, and more effective education that comes "in a box!"... of course, distance learning is both fact and fiction. It can work well for those whom "educrats" term "non-traditional" students. but it will never be panacea claimed by its commercial promoters (whose enthusiam for such efforts should give pause to faculty and students alike). research indicates that most people prefer to continue interacting with their professors (and fellow students) on campus when they have the means and mobility to attend college... michael
