BusinessTN

Online education has come of age in Tennessee. Total enrollment in distance education courses is growing an average of 30% each semester at the Tennessee Board of Regents' six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 technology centers.

At Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, a TBR institution, about one-third of its 22,500 students took online classes last spring. The previous fall, 7% of its graduates earned their degrees from the distance learning college.

At the Tennessee Technology Centers (TTCs) scattered across the state, demand for online workforce development courses has doubled in a year, from about 750 enrollments to 1,500 this fall.

A similar boom is taking place in the University of Tennessee system. On the Knoxville campus alone, enrollment in distance education classes was up 45% this fall over last year.

What's driving this growth? To some degree, it's an expected byproduct of the recession. Economic downturns often lead displaced or apprehensive workers to take steps to upgrade skills, finish degrees or train for new vocations.

However, the evolution of distance education itself is also drawing students into virtual classrooms. Improved accessibility, technological improvements, new programs and acceptance by businesses of distance-borne degrees have made it easier than ever for students to pursue their educational goals wherever they are and whenever they want.

A Flexible Feast

One reason Tennessee has been well-prepared to handle the onslaught of online students can be attributed to TBR's Campus Collaborative. This initiative offers degrees and workforce training by sharing resources among its 46 affiliated schools. Through Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) and Regents Online Continuing Education (ROCE), students register at one campus but choose courses from any participating institution.

"Students get to take classes from all kinds of instructors," says Dianna Rust, an associate dean in distance education at MTSU. "And they get to take classes that their institution might not have been able to offer because it didn't have enough students to justify it."

Currently, RODP programs are asynchronous, which means students complete the coursework independently on their own schedule. That's important to students who work odd hours or juggle work, family and school.

There is no single technological protocol for teaching effective online courses. At UT-Knoxville, for example, most professors use voice-over IP technology to deliver lectures and interact with students in real-time. It's somewhat like a conference call, but on a computer.

These types of synchronous classes are the preferred method for delivering courses at UT, says George H. Hoemann, assistant dean of distance education, because they foster mentoring relationships between the professor and online students, which are especially critical in graduate-level courses. In an age of YouTube and Hulu, voice-only delivery may seem a little old school, but there's good reason professors avoid streaming video.

"There are quite a number of counties in Tennessee that don't have broadband access," he explains. "When you are thinking about creating a distance program, you still need to design to the lowest common denominator and then take advantage of broadband in an incremental way."

Still, it's important for online educators to have a "smorgasbord of technology" at their disposal, Hoemann says. Ideally, course content, teaching style and desired outcomes shape how instructors deliver their classes.

Internet technology not only enhances online instruction, it helps institutions provide myriad online support services, including Web-based bookstores and e-books, admissions services, libraries, and even career counseling and job placement.

"We have online tutoring through SmartThinking, where students can get 24/7 assistance in several subjects," Rust says. "In addition, students can submit a paper for review. [Tutors] will point out areas that need work."

As online classes have attracted converts among students, faculty and employers, success has bred success. New bachelor and master degree programs are being rolled out across the state. As more courses are adapted for online delivery, it becomes easier for students to earn degrees or certifications by combining online and on-site classes.

Regional technology centers, which traditionally provided hands-on training to businesses around the state, are even migrating some of their certification courses to the Web. Through ROCE, for example, students throughout the system can take online courses such as "dementia care," a 40-hour program required by the state for certain caregivers. This fall, the TTCs launched a new Workforce Development Center to offer customizable training programs through online delivery channels.

"We are taking some of our courses and producing chunks of training so that an employer can actually go in and customize the training needed for employees," says Chelle Travis, assistant vice chancellor for instruction for TTC.

Travis anticipates that this will create many hybrid programs, where employees will study theory online and technical skills on ground.

The Virtual Win-Win

There's no question that convenience will continue to attract students to online education; however, there may be more compelling reasons for businesses to embrace digital learning.

"These students are productive citizens of the state, and they are contributing to the economic output of the state," Hoemann explains. "By continuing their education online, they are able to advance themselves without creating disruptions in the current workforce by dropping out."

Obviously, better educated employees ultimately help businesses prosper. And some experts suggest that the skills required to complete a digital degree—online collaboration, self-directed learning and e-communicating—are also the skills employees need to succeed in our digitally dependent business environment.