As Washington State University student Sean Genson studies, he can look out his window to see three glaciers across Kachmek Bay in the Kenai Mountains of Alaska. Christine Otey from Seattle has three cats at her feet when she sits down to her computer to learn. Half a world away in Zurich, Switzerland, Joseph Haering pursues his education after a long workday at Credit Suisse Bank.
These three, and others like them, are all students taking online courses through WSU’s Distance Degree Program.
According to DDP Director Janet Kendall, online courses are flourishing at campuses across the country because they offer students the flexibility of arranging their courses around other demands in their lives, such as work and family.
Not your typical student
Kendall explained that online students fulfill the identical degree requirements met by on-campus students. (The number of credits taken through WSU will vary according to the number of transferable credits a student might bring.)
The average online student, however, differs from the traditional campus student. The typical online student is 35 years old, has a family and takes two courses per semester. Eighty percent of these students come from the state of Washington.
This fall there are 2,250 students enrolled online, according to Kendall. They are located in 45 states and 16 countries.
Seventy-five percent of DDP students are women, said Kendall, which follows national trends.
“This is quite typical across the country,” she said. “They’re the ones who left school early and have lots of commitments to deal with, so the flexibility that distance courses and programs provide fits them perfectly.”
A woman’s perspective
Linda Miller Baldwin is a good example of the many women enrolled. She is 54, a single parent, and she learned about online courses when her son attended WSU.
“I spent many years as a single parent and realized early on that a college education would be the most important thing I could do for my son and myself,” she said. “I tried night school at local two-year colleges, but I just didn’t have the energy to work full-time, care for my son and attend classes until 10 at night.”
Baldwin was motivated to get a degree because she was in a low-paying state job with little possibility of advancement. But once she started online courses she received three promotions and realized other benefits as well.
“The experience has been life changing,” she said. “My self-worth, attitude and self-esteem have been greatly changed by the professors and instructors I have had at WSU.
“I can honestly say that everyone has been helpful and several have been instrumental in helping me achieve my goal of a college degree,” Baldwin emphasized.
Flexibility a key attraction
Several students mentioned that online courses offer flexibility, which allows them to fit education into a busy lifestyle.
“The convenience of working on my classes when I have time, fitting it around my work schedule, meets my needs,” said Sean Genson, who lives 20 miles from Homer, Alaska.
“It would be very difficult for me, financially and in terms of my time, to move to a large college campus,” he said. “I work as a substitute teacher in the public schools. Since I’ve worked and lived in Homer, I’ve realized that I’d like to be a teacher, most likely high school social studies.”
Not for everyone
The DDP has had widespread appeal since its inception in 1992. Students from all 50 states and 45 countries have enrolled.
Who is the ideal online student? Kendall believes it is someone who is well organized, works well on his own and is a self-starter.
Online student Christine Otey concurred: “Online classes aren’t for everyone. They require a high level of discipline and a command of the English language, if one is to communicate effectively.”
Professors, as well as students, have benefited from their experiences with online courses. WSU history Professor Roger Schlesinger offers the surprising observation that, in his experience, online courses offer a greater sense of community between professor and student than traditional classes do.
“Many of my students have gone into great detail about their lives, thereby creating a strong sense of community in the class because students feel they know each other well,” Schlesinger said.
Otey agreed: “The normally shy person in regular classes feels more confident to participate in classes where they aren’t seen. People are more free to express their views, opinions and experiences, thereby bonding much more cohesively than in normal classes.”
The joy of learning
Swiss student Joseph Haering offers yet another reason to study online –— the joy of expanding your horizons. At work for Credit Suisse Bank in Zurich, he co-leads an international call center serving clients from all over the world on financial matters.
Prompted by his passion for U.S. Civil War history, he enrolled in an online class on that topic. He followed it up with a trip with his mother touring historical sites in Virginia.
“At my age (52) and in my position, I am not looking to further my career,” Haering said. “For me it is more for fun and a personal challenge.”
For more information on WSU’s Distance Degree Program, see http://www.distance.wsu.edu.
