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Savvy E-Learners Drive Revolution in Education
There is a revolution underway in the field of post-secondary education, driven primarily by the desire of traditional corporations and "dot-com" startups to take advantage of the flexibility and efficiency of the Internet. This revolution comprises three interrelated trends-the rapid growth of distance learning, the advent of corporate universities, and the extreme competitiveness of the job market. International Data reports that nearly 710,000 students in 1998 were enrolled in at least one online course, and predicts that figure will reach 2.2 million by 2002. Businesses are realizing that potential internal educational facilities have to quickly and cost-effectively train employees, and also to successfully attract and retain more skilled individuals in a tight job market. Traditional universities and colleges face a bleak future unless they significantly alter their instructional methods to keep pace with developments spurred by the Internet. In order to survive, these institutions must examine the educational undertakings of such companies as Dell Computer and Sun Microsystems, understand their own strengths and reputation among the public, and customize teaching methods to the different age groups of students. Reprinted with permission from Edupage |
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