Online degree programs give military members access to higher education

Online degree programs give military members access to higher education

Military service members are increasingly turning to online universities for higher education. Web-based degree programs give these professionals a flexible alternative to brick-and-mortar institutions. Online coursework can be completed anywhere with Internet access and most programs use the latest technology to deliver information.

At the University of Wisconsin in Madison (UW-Madison), many online learners are service members who are stationed across the world, according to The Cap Times. Students such as Peter Owen are completing their coursework in Iraq. The 24-year-old first lieutenant is learning by listening to recorded lectures on an MP3 player.

"I have really enjoyed the opportunity to keep working toward my degree while deployed," Owen, who is pursuing a master's degree in international commerce and policy, told the news source.

At UW-Madison, more than 2.5 percent of all credit hours are taken through distance education courses.

The school's web-based programs include a syllabus with course details and links to online journals and newspaper articles. Online programs also use short video lead-ins to preview hour-long audio recorded lectures - which are available for download on MP3 players - and additional information via PowerPoint slides and online discussion sessions.

"The combination of a rigorous military schedule and improvements in modern technology made the distance class ideal for me," Kimberly Jones, a 25-year-old Army captain and UW-Madison online student, told the news source.

Jones was able to use her phone to download lectures and take notes while deployed in Hawaii.

According to the Sloan Consortium, approximately 4.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online class during the 2008-2009 academic year.

By Mark Danson