Online courses make education possible for many students

MADISON – Sherry Strub of Nekoosa is not your traditional college student. At 48, this Technical Communications major is older than many of her fellow students and her commute is significantly longer than for most students. Distance learning is a simple choice for Strub, who enrolls in online courses whenever possible.

"Online courses are a life saver. I drive more than 80 miles one way to attend classes at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton because my major is not offered at my local technical college. If I hadn’t been able to take online courses to meet my program requirements, I would never have been able to get my technical communications degree in two years," Strub said.

Many students favor online courses to fit their busy lifestyles, according to a recent technical college survey of online students. Respondents of the 2007 Online Student Survey felt the biggest benefit of online learning is flexibility. The survey, conducted by the technical colleges’ distance learning consortium, eTech College, showed two-thirds of survey respondents specifically wanted to take an online course instead of traveling to campus for class.

"The biggest difference with online courses is I am able to do the coursework during the week when it is convenient for me, whether it is one in the morning or four in the afternoon, " said Strub, a freelance writer and author. Strub says her online course instructors have been accessible and enthusiastic, with each online learning plan very comparable to traditional classroom learning plans.

The survey also revealed 85 percent of online students would take another online course with a Wisconsin Technical College. In addition, 82 percent said they would recommend Wisconsin Technical College online courses to others.

With more than 35,000 students taking 173,000 credits of online learning through Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges last year, online learning has grown to more than eight percent of all credit hours taken. That shift is expected to continue, according to eTech College of Wisconsin Online Learning Specialist Nancy Woodward.

"This steady growth of online learning is the result of demand by students," said Woodward. "More and more students need flexible options to fit their busy schedules and our technical colleges are working hard to meet the demand for this alternative to traditional classrooms."

"Online learning courses are an important and growing component of our technical college programs," said Dan Clancy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System. "Our colleges will continue to work collaboratively to ensure online learning options are delivered cost-effectively for students across the state," Clancy added.

"Online learning is a convenient, cost-effective way to get a degree or enhance your education that fits into any lifestyle," Strub said. "I hope to get a job in the technical communications field after graduation, but I will also continue my education in the fall with part-time classes. My plans include taking nearly all classes online."

eTech College is a collaboration of all 16 technical colleges in Wisconsin. The typical online student is female between 26 and 45 years old, works at least 30-hours per week, is enrolled in an associate degree program, sought out an online course, and lives within 20 minutes of her nearest technical college. To learn more about eTech College or to see the wide variety of online courses available, visit the Web site at www.etechcollege.org.

PROFILE OF THE WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE ONLINE STUDENT

83% are female
90% are working toward acquiring a degree, certificate, or diploma
83% are employed; 44% are employed full time
43% live further than 20 minutes from their local technical colleges
49% are between the ages of 26 and 45
49% have taken another online course from a Wisconsin Technical College in the last three years
28% are accessing courses from technical colleges outside their home districts