NORTH PLATTE -- Mid-Plains Community College students are now able to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business completely online, thanks to recent approval by the Higher Learning Commission.

In a letter notifying the college of its approval, the HLC said the Institutional Actions Council had voted to extend the college's accreditation to include distance delivery of degree programs without prior Commission approval. This came as good news to college administrators and faculty, who have been working for several years to enhance and expand MPCC's distance learning and online offerings and develop degree-oriented online curriculum.

(Advertisement)

"MPCC is very excited that it is now able to offer an online AAS in Business degree," said Patricia Allison, MPCC Area Vice President for Educational Services and Student Development. "We have also been working to develop online curriculum for an Associate of Arts Degree as well as an Associate of Science Degree, and are anticipating those degrees will be able to be completed entirely online in the near future." 

According to recent reports, roughly one in six students enrolled in higher education -- about 3.2 million people -- took at least one online course last fall. These figures come as no surprise to Charles Osteen, MPCC Area Distance Learning Coordinator.

"The Internet is changing the way we do things today. It's changing the way we work, the way we shop, and the way we educate," Osteen said.

A recent MPCC Summary Report of Online and Distance Learning showed that the number of online courses increased from 13 in spring semester of 2004, to 53 in the 2007 spring semester. The number of students increased from 189 to more than 800 between 2004-2007 spring semesters. Online courses and student enrollment in other semesters from 2004 to 2007 have shown similar growth.

Osteen said some of the reasons for the increasing popularity of online courses are access and convenience for the student.

"They give students a lot more flexibility and allow students to hold regular jobs while taking classes," he said.

Although some people might have the impression that online courses are easier than those in the traditional classroom, Osteen said that simply isn't the case.

"These courses are not easier because they are online. The quality of the online courses is meant to be the same. The learning outcomes are meant to be the same. They reach the same learning outcomes," he said, adding, "Some colleges jumped in with both feet at first, but are now going back and developing the quality controls for those courses." 

"We are already developing a Best Practices Guideline so that our courses are well designed and so we don't have an online correspondence class," Osteen said. "The BEST practices provides faculty with information and methods for design or to improve their online course. Online courses should engage the student in such a way as to have students interact with each other, interact with the faculty member, and interact with the content of the course. You want to design those elements into your online course." 

Osteen said in order to assure quality online courses, MPCC instructors who offer online courses are required to take pedagogy classes to learn practices and guidelines that will assist and train them in how to present their class online.

Other elements of a successful online course include allowing students to operate in teams, forming small groups, having students do group and individual presentations, finding a way for the faculty to be available by email at certain times or respond very quickly to questions a student might have, and a live chat room time with instructor.

"Not every online course will offer all of these options, but a variety may well be part of almost any course. It is up to the instructor to try to meet the needs of his or her class," Osteen said.

According to Osteen, the retention rate of MPCC students who take online courses is very high; however, the college is still continually looking for ways to build upon their successful foundation.

"As a community college, we don't want to be too far out of the loop in our online classes mainly because we have a lot of non-traditional students," Osteen said. "Some of these students may be moms or dads who have full time jobs. When do they have a chance to come in to a classroom? An online course offers them that opportunity."

For more information about MPCC's online courses, as well as traditional and Distance Learning classes, log on to www.mpcc.edu or call (308) 535-3609