University growth due to online learning

University growth due to online learning:

A university in the US has revealed that online learning has enabled it to grow in recent months.

The University of North Dakota (UND) announced e-learning courses account for an increasing proportion of the students who enrol at the educational facility.

Lori Reesor, UND vice-president for student affairs, told the Grand Forks Herald that high school demographics are decreasing at the moment, which increases the importance of online learning.

She explained the president of the university Robert Kelley has stated he believes it is at the right size at the present time, which means it is able to focus on increasing the diversity of the students it enrols to classes, as well as the quality of the individuals it signs up.

Ms Reeser added UND is currently weighing up a new enrolment management model that could see its colleges, schools and departments determine where growth will be in the future.

"We'll look to the faculty to tell us where the opportunity for growth lies and what programmes have potential for growth online," she said, adding academic leaders will be asked to give their views on their capacity for growth and what part e-learning courses can play in this regard.

Philip Parnell, director of online enrolment management at UND, pointed out a significant commitment to online learning has been made by the university and this is paying off, with a level of growth he described as "striking" over the course of the last few years.

He explained that online learning courses offered by UND are taken up by individuals across the UK, noting: "In many cases, students work in groups with other students from all over the country. They 'meet' in an online classroom."

The Cost of Online Learning from Fordham's Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning recently revealed e-learning is often more affordable than many people think.