The Best of Our Knowledge # 958

Albany, NY – TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION:
ONLINE LEARNING WEAVES ITS WAY INTO THE HALLS OF IVY -

A new survey says a majority of colleges and universities in the U.S. now offer college-level, credit-granting distance-education courses. The survey, by the National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the Department of Education, puts the figure at about 65%.

Many view this as just another sign that distance education is becoming a staple of college life. Recent data from colleges also indicate a jump in online enrollment. Overall, the two-and four-year institutions in the survey estimated over 12-million enrollments in distance education courses.

Many observers agree with stories we broadcast last summer right here on TBOOK about the impact of gas prices. The four plus per-gallon gas price at the time drove students to their computers, instead of classrooms.

In a tough economy, any financial break is appreciated. So for example, starting this month, Saint Leo University in Florida cut its tuition rate by 10% for new online students. Saint Leo estimates this could save students 132-dollars per class, and almost 800-dollars over the year.

As demand for higher education continues to grow, institutions are hoping technology will open the doors to make higher education more accessible and more affordable for students.

For this story, TBOOK spoke with several professors and students around the country, as well at a spokesman for the Massachusetts-based Sloan Consortium.

Steve Felano reports. (9:45)

RELATED EDUCATION HEADLINES AND UPDATES -

Is technology turning us into a nation of "illiterates?" In this increasingly electronic society, penmanship has seemingly taken a backseat to emails, text messaging, and instant messages. Handwriting drills have been replaced in favor of keyboarding, and the days of mastering perfect penmanship are long gone. So it is, that this week, schools across the country are celebrating National Handwriting Day in honor of John Hancock's birthday. For more on this topic, there's a new book titled, "Script and Scribble" by bestselling author, Kitty Burns Florey.

Then, millions of college students can now choose to buy their assigned textbook as an E-textbook. Industry analysts indicate that more than one-third of the most popular college textbook titles are now available in electronic version. Among the most common reasons given - cost and more environmentally-friendly.

And finally, students are still paying to settle lawsuits by the Recording Industry Association of America for copyright violations. Some students are paying at least $3,000 or more. Colleges have taken various approaches to the RIAA anti-piracy campaign. Some have fought the industry's suit. Others are trying to deter students from illegal file sharing by limiting their bandwidth and stepping up education programs which promote legal options, like Napster or Ruckus.

(Glenn Busby reports. (1:45)

CONNECTED CAMPUSES -

If you are my age, it doesn't seem that long ago when a highly connected campus was one where each dorm room had its own phone line. Yes, times certainly have changed.

In order to remain competitive in this 21st century, a college has to support wireless networking, provide ultra high-speed connections to classrooms, and as we heard in our first story today, grow their online class offerings.

Like it or not, today's students depend on technology to live, work, and play. And today's colleges have to provide high-tech tools in order to attract the best applicants.

The Princeton Review is known for its annual Best Colleges survey. But not long ago, it also published a Most Connected Campuses list. TBOOK spoke with Rob Franek, Princeton Review Vice-President and Publisher.

Glenn Busby reports. (7:07)