University receives grant for online education equipment

University receives grant for online education equipment

Officials at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) have recently announced that the school has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (USDA-RD) to expand online education and distance learning programs, the Times Tribune reports.

EKU will receive $111,678 to develop video conferencing systems at three rural campuses in Whitley, Perry and Clay counties.

The new equipment will allow EKU to improve its interactive TV and web-based courses. It will also give students who engage in distance learning access to the university's library materials and the Commonwealth's Kentucky Virtual Campus (KYVC).

The system should benefit students involved in advanced degree programs, certification courses and workforce education, according to the news source. The university has received an additional $57,397 in funding to support the project.

Currently, nearly 4 million students are taking online courses and earning online college degrees. At the secondary school level, over 700,000 high school students are taking one or more courses online and nearly 40 states have established state-led virtual schools.