Getting Started: Putting Courses Online

摘要

Although student enrollment in higher education is decreasing, distance education continues to grow. As of 2015, the number of students studying online was more than 6 million, compared with a decrease of 1 million students studying on campus. Online programs have become critical to the long-term success of many educational institutions because they boost enrollment and revenue for colleges and universities. Top schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, and Harvard offer online courses, and the subjects taught online range from professional recertification courses and certificate programs to doctoral degree programs. In particular, many health care courses are available to students who prefer distance education. For example, Yale University offers a version of its physician assistant program online. In the radiological sciences, however, most courses still are taught in the traditional classroom setting. One study revealed that instructional technology and support barriers were primary reasons why radiologic science faculty avoid online or blended courses.