Online university receives award for excellence

Online university receives award for excellence

In order to provide higher education to more adults and nontraditional students, a number of campus-based and online universities are improving their web-based courses. These initiatives are designed to give learners the option to create their own flexible course schedules, and giving them anytime access to homework and assignments.

In an effort to help degree seekers find the academic programs that meet their needs, the Sloan Consortium - an association of higher education organizations that emphasize online learning - recently recognized several schools for their excellence in web-based learning. Western Governors University (WGU) recently received the 2010 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education for its commitment to assessing and improving the quality of its web-based programs.

"Our watchwords of quality, scale and breadth are epitomized by the institutions we honor this year," said Bruce Chaloux, president of the Sloan Consortium.

WGU was selected for the award for the university's use of quantitative metrics that assess quality and its demonstration of continuous improvement.

"The 2010 recipients have demonstrated exceptional leadership and real success in advancing online education," added awards committee chair, Burks Oakley II.

By Mark Danson