Validity of Online Tech Education

[Dollie]

I'm looking into taking several classes (tech and mgmt), and would like to have them applied toward getting a degree.

Everywhere I look are ads for online "universities" and other types of schools. How can I look into the validity of these schools, and how would employers look at degrees obtained from them?

 

[fredericofonseca]

Which country are you looking for them?

Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[SQLSister]

MAke sure that the school is accreditied by the same acrediting agency that a regular university would be accredited by. Some of the online programs are from real universities and no one will know whether your degree was earned in person or over the INternet. ANd the programs are pretty much exactly the same in each case. You need the same number of hours and the same courses.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[Onyxpurr]

Agree with SQLSister.

If you know of anyone who has taken online courses, you may want to ask about their experience.

Also, if you work, ask your HR dept as they may know.

 

[willir]

I find on-line courses, especially computer based training without or with very minimal teacher inteyraction very disappointing...

- can not ask questions
- only one way to answer a question even if there are other answers that are also correct

If the course(s) have greater interaction with the teacher(s) or resource person, then in my opinion, it would be more worthwhile.

 

[fredericofonseca]

Dollie,

As you have not answered my question I am going to point to options.

1- Ireland

http://www.oscail.ie

has a long distance course that is now turning Internet only. the only requirements for this course is to attend the exams in person. Everything else can be my mail/email/phone and internet.

2- UK (and other countries)

http://www.open-university.co.uk

Also long distance/internet. LOADS of choices.

There are another few on the UK that also alow long distance/internet.

In all the above cases you are assigned a tutor, and all questions should be directed to him/her or to other students.
In DCU you have the tutor home number normally and his email address. You can contact them all days of the week (assuming they are home) at acceptable hours!!


Regards

Frederico Fonseca
SysSoft Integrated Ltd

http://www.syssoft-int.com

 

[MasterRacker]

Most degrees programs are based on a specific list of required classes. You want to take as much as possible from one school since transfers and equivalencies between schools can be dicey. Look at the normal bricks-n-mortar colleges/universities in your area. You should be able to find many of your required classes available online through them with the added benefit that courses you can't get online would be right there near you.


Jeff
The future is already here - it's just not widely distributed yet...

 

[Onyxpurr]

willir, I can understand, however some are good.

I am currently going to Keller (graduate program at Devry) and have taken a few online courses. They have been just as good as the classroom instruction, however a little bit frustrating because I'm a visual person. I do like that I can plan my own hours though. That helped immensely.

I have to warn though, that online is tough work at a good school. I was on the pc every night with my online course.

 

[SQLSister]

I've taken several online Masters degree courses and if you take them from a reputable University (I took them from George Washington University), then you will have a way to interact with your classmates and instructor. In fact the discussions can be quite well thought out as people have time to think about their responses before they post them. The work tended to be more in the line of projects than test based training. I do agree with Onyxpurr, a a good school online courses can be quite challenging and much more work than some of the in person classes I have taken.

One of the best courses I ever took was online, but, as with everything else in the education realm, a lot depends on the instructor. A good instructor gives the students the resources to learn and is available for answering questions and can go beyond the planned lesson if the questions lead that way. A poor instructor cannot. Most corporate training I have received was in the latter category. Fixed curriculum with no additional information available and a teacher who knew nothing beyond the fixed curriculum.


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[Dollie]

Thanks so much for all the responses!

fredericofonseca, I'm in the U.S., but.... maybe I could be an int'l student, I like the idea of a tutor!

I think I'll do ok with the university courses I've been looking at with some local schools by me (I'm in Raleigh, college town). There are a ton of classes available online to me, but their technical classes (ie. networking, security) leave something to be desired. I'm concerned about going to a strictly tech school because they seem to have taken on the semblance of being "cert mills", and the certs received from them can sometimes be questionable. I'd prefer to take nothing but tech classes, but I realize I need to struggle through algebra and other basic classes to get a degree.

I may need to broaden my search to universities that aren't right here in my backyard (even though I'd prefer to root for a local team!).

Thanks so much for everyone's responses! I take everyone's advice and help here quite seriously because I learned a long time ago how valuable everyone here is.

 

[blutekhnd]

Dollie,

I graduated from Strayer University. They are an accredited private school with most of their campuses in the Maryland and Virginia area. They have students worldwide in their online classes. I took a combination of classes on campus and asynchronous and synchronous online classes. I loved asynch classes for my general ed requirements, but didn't care for taking my tech classes online. The design classes were good, but the other classes had to rely on simulators instead of actual equipment. If the tech classes you are interested in involve networking hardware, I would recommend taking classes on a campus over online.

 

[CTekMedia]

Regional Accreditation – schools that are regionally accredited are legitimate and well respected. If you are looking for transferable credits or a real degree then this is the most important factor.



Peace

http://www.bluetone-media.com

BT

 

[SQLSister]

Bluetone - absolutely people should look for that regional accrediation. Good point.

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