President-elect Barack Obama Holds Out High Hopes For Distance Learning

By Author: Tamita Amor
Total Articles: 4762
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America's business and scientific, future rests on the education of today's university degree program students, as well as tomorrow's secondary school students. These students are choosing distance learning degree programs in vastly increasing numbers. But does the next president of the United States support online degree programs?
In fact, President-Elect Barack Obama strongly supports technological and conceptual developments that support secondary and higher education throughout the U.S. His campaign platform strongly emphasized enhancing the role of online learning. One of the ways in which he intends to succeed in his mission is through bringing Internet access to schools nationwide, as well as to enhance the availability of broadband Internet access to schoolchildren at home as well as in the classroom.
This strategy is part of the future president's plan to stimulate economic growth. Mr. Obama intends to use federal funds to make these goals a reality. In addition, he plans to lower the penalties for schools whose students don't earn the test scores mandated by President George Bush's No Child Left Behind ...
... education reform.
However, these steps may not even be enough. Many school districts already have sufficient access to broadband Internet, but have not successfully incorporated Internet technology into the classroom and learning experience. The successful use of technology depends not only on its availability, but also on teacher attitudes toward its utility, and their willingness to include computer technology in classroom teaching and lesson plans.
Another of Mr. Obama's tennents for improving the educational future of college students is to make the Pell Grant more attainable to economically disadvantaged students. In his speeches, however, he has not yet made clear whether or not he would welcome offering this federal aid money to students enrolled in online colleges and universities. If he does advocate this alternative, he will offer tens of thousands of students the opportunity to work while they earn a degree online.
Mr. Obama also announced plans for simplifying the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). While this is useful, merely simplifying the application will not be enough. Students who earn scholarships for college ought to be able to use these for any accredited traditional or distance learning degree program in the United States. Scholarships need to be made available to anyone enrolled in any accredited college or university, traditional or otherwise.
Furthermore, President-elect Obama plans to offer $4,000 to any college student who performs at least 100 hours of community service, which would greatly assist many students. It remains to be seen, however, whether he will afford this luxury only to students who attend traditional college degree programs, or if non-traditional students will receive these benefits as well.
While Mr. Obama states that he is a supporter distance learning, he criticizes for-profit schools, many online degree programs are for-profit by declaring that these programs drain money from non-profit institutions of higher learning. Therefore, although he states that he supports non-traditional higher learning, it's difficult to know with certainty that he will support them verbally and financially.
About Author:
Educational author Tamita Amor is closely following President-elect Obama's words and actions concerning secondary and higher education. Of particular interest to her and her readers at degreeboard.com are the president-elect's plans with regard to distance education degree programs. Stay tuned for the latest updates concerning Mr. Obama's plans for the future of education in America! Visit President-Elect Barack Obama Holds out High Hopes for Distance Learning.