VOA慢速英语--Online Degree Programs Face Barriers to Success

 

Last week, we talked about Americans taking college classes and completing study programs online – that is, with the help of computers and over the Internet.

The United States Department of Education has noted¹ the growing popularity² of online degree programs, what it called ‘distance education.’ It reported that 14 percent of all students at American colleges and universities studied through such programs in 2014.

Leanne is one of those students.

Her goal was to earn a master’s degree in nursing from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She signed up for the university’s online program in 2014. She asked VOA not to share her last name because she has yet to complete her studies.

Leanne chose to study online for many of the same reasons that other students do. She was working full-time³, and did not want to move away from her job and family to continue her education. Leanne liked that she was able to study whenever and however much she wanted.

But while the program met her needs at first, Leanne feels there are things she did not get from studying online. She earned her undergraduate⁴ degree from a traditional, face-to-face, study program at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Leanne says physically⁵ being in a classroom helps build a strong connection between students and their professors. She says in some ways she liked taking control and leading her own studies. But many times, she also felt lost without that special connection.

"In the end, there’s really no substitute⁶ for the exchanges that actually happen in a classroom. And I think that, to some extent⁷, I missed out on that and I would have like to have had that experience. So if I were to do it again, I don’t know that I would have made the same decision. I think it maybe would have been worth making a little bit more sacrifice in terms of the convenience and the finances⁸ to have a more rich learning⁹ experience, where you really get to exchange with your professors … and develop your skills."

In addition, it may not be just a student’s learning that suffers in a distance learning program. There is some concern about what future employers¹⁰ think about an online degree.

Public Agenda¹¹ is a nonprofit research organization in the United States. In 2013, the group reported on a study of over 600 people working for American companies. They were responsible for filling positions at these businesses. The study looked at what these employment¹² specialists thought about online degree programs.

Fifty-six percent said they were more likely to offer jobs to people with a more traditional college experience, where students and teachers meet face-to-face. Forty-two percent said they thought students in online programs learned¹³ less than those in traditional programs. And 39 percent of those questioned said they thought online programs were easier to complete.

Alison Kadlec is a senior vice¹⁴ president of Public Agenda. She says the numbers may have changed a little over the past four years as online programs become more popular. But there are still strong critical opinions about what online programs can do for students.

"There is a kind of traditional bias¹⁵ about what education should be, and technology and life and work and everything show what’s problematic about that hundred year-old model of education. But it’s still something that’s so ingrained in who we are, in how we think about higher education."

Kadlec says it is hard for people to change their ideas about higher education from a professor teaching¹⁶ students in a classroom. Also, some employers may have limited understanding of what is possible through an online program. Many people think studying online just means watching videos of teachers talking. Yet technology is always changing. Computer programs may someday educate and test students in ways human teachers cannot.

However, Kadlec notes, until there are widely accepted standards for online programs as there are for traditional ones, critical opinions will likely remain. Students like Leanne choose online programs because their lives are already complex or difficult. And having employers value their degrees less than a traditional college education only makes things more difficult for them.

Also, there appears to be a barrier for online programs becoming more widely accepted. If more well-known, high quality schools start offering such programs, employers will likely consider the two methods as equal. But the high cost to create high quality online programs suggests this will not be easy.

The WICHE Cooperative¹⁷ for Educational Technologies studies online learning. The group released¹⁸ a study on the cost of creating online programs in February. It asked administrators¹⁹ at 197 colleges to report on the costs of 21 different components²⁰ needed to operate the two programs. This included the cost of paying professors to design materials and testing.

At all the colleges, administrators noted that nine of the components generally cost more than for traditional programs. Twelve of the components cost the about same. Nothing in any online program cost less.

Russ Poulin helped create the study. He says the reason costs are so high for online programs is all the extra steps they require. In a traditional program, the main cost is the professor, who designs the study materials, and the building where the class is taught. But if many professors take turns teaching in the same rooms, the cost of the building is shared by all the students in those classes. While online programs may not require a classroom, there are other requirements.

Online programs require computer engineers to design programs to present the lesson materials. Online programs can often reach more students than a class taught in a building. But this means professors need more teaching assistants than they normally²¹ would. Also, physical universities can offer support services like study aids, libraries and other research centers. Many online programs have not yet found ways to offer such services at a lesser²² or equal cost, Poulin says.

The study found that costs for students in online programs were lower at only about 6 percent of the schools. And Poulin adds that schools cannot simply pass these costs on to students.

"We really have reached a point, whether it’s distance education or in the face-to-face education, where you can raise the price to the student so long that they’re able to absorb it up to a point. And really we’re starting to hear the pain being expressed by the students in terms of they can’t pay back loans²³ or they can’t afford even to come in."

Poulin and Kadlec agree that as technology changes and becomes less costly²⁴, some of these problems may solve themselves. More students are choosing online college programs over traditional programs every year. But there is still a ways to go before online and traditional programs operate on the same level.

I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

master’s – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

sign(ed) up – p.v.

undergraduate – adj. used to describe a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study

substitute – n. a person or thing that takes the place of someone or something else

extent – n. used to indicate the amount or level at which something exists, happens, or is true

miss(ed) out (on) – p.v. to not use or to not have a chance to experience something good

convenience – n. a quality or situation that makes something easy or useful for someone by reducing the amount of work or time required to do something

finances – n. matters relating to money and how it is spent or saved

bias – n. a quality that it likely for people to believe that some people or ideas are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly

ingrained – adj. existing for a long time and very difficult to change

standard(s) – n. a level of quality or achievement that is considered acceptable²⁵ or desirable²⁶

component(s) – n. an important piece of something

absorb – v. to accept or deal with something that is difficult or harmful

afford – v. to be able to pay for something

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

3 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

4 undergraduate   

n.大学生，大学肆业生

参考例句：

• Mr. Stone spent his undergraduate days in Columbia University,majoring in economics.斯通先生在哥伦比亚大学度过了他四年的大学生活，主修经济学。
• During this time,they are called undergraduate students.在此期间，他们被称为大学本科生。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

6 substitute   

n.代理，代理人，代用品，代替物；vt.代替；vi.替代，取代

参考例句：

• Can you substitute for the singer who is ill?你能替一下那位得了病的歌手吗？
• Yogurt is a perfectly acceptable substitute for cream in cooking.酸奶是烹饪用的特别受欢迎的奶油替代品。

7 extent   

n.程度，范围，限度；广度，宽度，大小

参考例句：

• The new race track is nearly six miles in extent. 这条新跑道将近六英里长。
• What's the extent of the damage? 损坏的程度如何?

8 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

9 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

10 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

11 agenda   

n.议事日程，记事册

参考例句：

• We now proceed to the next item on the agenda.我们现在着手讨论下一项议题。
• If there is no objection,the agenda is adopted.如果没有意见，议程就通过了。

12 employment   

n.雇用；使用；工作，职业

参考例句：

• A large office requires the employment of many people.一个大办事处需要雇用好多人员。
• The state of employment in this city is improving.这个城市就业状况正在改善。

13 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

14 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

15 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

16 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

17 cooperative   

adj.有合作意向的，合作的；n.合作社（企业）等

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• We decided to set up a cooperative.我们决定开办一家合作社。

18 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

19 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

20 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

21 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

22 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

23 loans   

n.借出物，借款( loan的名词复数 )v.借出，贷与（尤指钱）( loan的第三人称单数 )；出借（贵重物品给博物馆等）

参考例句：

• They are offering loans at extortionate rates of interest. 他们在放高利贷。
• Government loans have been the salvation of several shaky business companies. 政府的贷款救活了几家濒临倒闭的公司。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

25 acceptable   

adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的

参考例句：

• The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
• Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。

26 desirable   

adj.值得拥有的；可取的，有利的

参考例句：

• Some reasonable adjustments seem desirable.某些合理的调整似乎是可取的。
• Prolonged negotiation was not desirable.拖长了的谈判并不是大家所想要的。