​The art of the digital degree

By Amy Venn 

amyvenn86@gmail.com

Online degrees have given new opportunities and new meaning to higher education while steadily growing in popularity this last decade. One out of seven college students are enrolled in full-time online programs, and that number is expected to increase. The digital degree trend has set the stage for a whole new college experience.

Attending college from a living room can seem like a hacker’s way of getting educated, but the numbers indicate something very different. Most online students, in fact 56% of them, are women. In addition, 65% of online students are employed full-time. The “non-traditional” student is quickly becoming a vital factor in the college sector.

My personal experience with online education has been an upstanding one thus far. I fit the new standard for digital learning as a woman who works full-time while completing a degree. I attended classes both online and on campus 10 years ago, took an extended break, and returned as an online student in the fall of 2014 at Williston State College.

I completed my Associate of Arts degree with WSC and moved on to Valley City State University where I major in Media Communications/Journalism, with a minor in Marketing.

I live in a rural area with limited options for educational institutions, but I attend a real university through my computer screen. I have had great and engaging online professors. I’ve also had online professors who perpetuated the “lazy” stereotype of online learning.

There is a balance that is necessary for students to succeed and for professors to create an effective learning environment. No matter how well the professor plans the new age syllabus, however, an old sentiment always rings true. Hard work is the real key to success.

Online learning is vigilant. While the semester is in session, I am never without my laptop and textbooks. I have applications where I can check due dates in a flash. I have my student emails sent directly to my phone so I am always in contact. It is more of a commitment than on campus life, in my experience.

My classes are 24/7 with due dates happening daily. I don’t have the luxury of waiting for the next class to get updated on an impending assignment. Online learning is an intense process that requires a mature level of focus and a high level of self-motivation.

The process isn’t for everyone, however. Steven Listopad, an assistant professor at Valley City State University, isn’t sold on online education.

“Asynchronous online courses are a struggle for me as a teacher and student,” Listopad said recently, “As a student, I prefer the classroom.”

The challenge for Listopad, he explained, comes from the lack of an interactive environment. “Discussion is so slow. You post, you check back later, and then later, and then later, and then, maybe, if you're lucky, someone responds,” he said, “In the classroom, discussion and feedback is instantaneous and includes nonverbals.”

Even with the challenges Listopad has faced as a professor who thrives on face-to-face interaction, he isn’t ruling out online learning altogether. “The only way online teaching works in the future is through deeper interactivity between teachers and students,” he said.

Online learning is also promising for students with disabilities or unique challenges. Online education provides a platform for such learners to gain necessary knowledge while escaping the social or physical challenges of attending on campus. Working at one’s own pace can also be beneficial to students with learning disabilities.

Currently, undergraduate online students are mostly 25 years and older. In a fast-paced world, digital learning can provide the flexibility students need to maintain a job, family or both.

With online learning courses expanding and enrollment increasing, it will be up to faculty and students to design future programs that blend more interaction with meaningful content. The art of the digital degree is a work in progress.