IP: DIVISION OVER INTERNET LEARNING from edupage

[DAVE FARBER <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Two new studies being released this week question the value of 
online college courses. The College Board says in its report 
that Internet courses could put underprivileged students who 
have less exposure to computers at a disadvantage. They will 
arrive at school with less computer knowledge and thus be less 
prepared for online courses. "There's this rush to get online 
and go virtual," says College Board researcher Larry F. Gladieux. 
"Colleges, policy makers, and Internet providers who are driving 
this market need to think about broad access." The College Board 
is concerned that schools facing budget cuts might be lured online 
by pitches from technology providers that online learning cuts the 
costs of real-world learning. But colleges must realize that a 
technical divide exists, as only 20 percent of low-income 
households own a computer. Meanwhile, the Institute for Higher 
Education Policy says in its report that Internet-based education 
is too new and untested to justify its rapid growth in colleges. 
The report notes that there is a higher dropout rate of 32 percent 
for online classes, compared to just 4 percent for real-world 
classes. (Associated Press 04/07/99)