The growing demands of distance education by on line consumers has provided an opportunity for many new educational providers to meet consumer learner's needs. With this proliferation of on line providers, learners are raising insightful questions about the on line distance education experience. A number of important questions are being asked by the consumer and include the following:
- What is the cost per credit hour of my on line learning experience?
- Is my on line educational experience going to be a high quality experience?
- Is the educational provider recognized by an accreditation body for higher learning?
- Will the educational provider assist with job search following graduation?
- Is the educational provider ranked among peer review groups and organizations?
The question of how to select a provider of service always follows the cost per credit hour of the on line learning experience. After you determine what you can afford or what you are willing to pay for the experience, the selection process begins regarding the selection of an educational provider. This is a difficult decision to make and here are a few questions to consider whenever attempting to make the decision:
- Do I want my on line experience to be provided by a four year public or private university?
- Do I want my on line experience to be provided by a specialty provider of on line education?
- Community colleges offer on line courses and are usually part of a state's higher education system of education. Is a community college acceptable?
- Do I want a technical education? If so, do I want a specialty provider?
These are questions that deserve a reasonable amount of research and exploration before committing your resources to a particular provider. In addition to acquiring information from the educational provider of services, ask friends, family members, professionals within your area of interest, as well as graduates from the prospective provider. A little time researching your educational provider will save you time and money with your educational experience