Following tenuous beginnings in the 1990s, online education expanded dramatically as students “voted with a mouse,” resulting in even the most prestigious American universities adopting online courses. The often overlooked but extensive financial involvement of the U. S. military helped drive rapid growth in enrollment nationwide. This growth has declined significantly since 2009 and as of 2012 appeared to be stagnating. This article reviews the online education journey in detail, examines the U. S. military’s impact on the field’s growth, and discusses the potential crossroads facing online education. We discuss the ongoing speculation about why the growth in online enrollment may be declining and examine the perhaps pivotal implications of professional accreditation in general and Master of Public Administration programs in particular.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AllenI. E.SeamanJ. (2008). Staying the course: Online education in the United States, 2008. Needham, MA: Sloan Consortium.
2.
AllenI. E.SeamanJ. (2015). Grade level: Tracking online education in the United States. Oakland, CA; Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group.
3.
AltmanG. (2015, October 9). Pentagon hits University of Phoenix with probation. Military Times. Retrieved from httXp://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/education/2015/10/09/pentagonhitsuniversityofphoenixwithprobation/73660142.
4.
AmiraultR. J. (2012). Distance learning in the 21st century university: Key issues for leaders and faculty.Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 13(4), 253–265, 269.
5.
Associated Press (2016, January 15). Department of Defense lifts suspension of University of Phoenix. Retrieved from ABC15 Arizona: http://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/department-of-defense-lifts-suspension-of-universityof-phoenix.
6.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). (2015). AACSB website. Retrieved October 29, 2015, from http://www.aacsb.edu.
7.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). (2017). AACSB-accredited universities and schools. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/accreditedmembers/global-listing.
8.
BaggaleyJ. (2014). Reflection: Online learning a New Testament.Distance Education, 35(1), 133–140.
9.
BilodeauD. (2015, October 7). Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense letter to University of Phoenix. Retrieved November 12, 2015, from http://ec.militarytimes.com/static/pdfs/DoD-Letter-to-University-of-Phoenix-10-09-2015.pdf.
10.
BoschA.TobyL. H.AlhamzyA. R. (2015). In a world of exploding possibilities in distance learning, don’t forget about the lightbulb.Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 16(2), 129–138.
11.
Department of Defense. (2014). Template of DOD MOU between DOD office of the USD(P&R) and educational institution and service-specific addendums. Retrieved from https://www.dodmou.com/Documents/DODMOU%203%20SAMPLE%20July_7_2014.pdf.
12.
Department of Defense. (2015). Voluntary education partnership memorandum of understanding (MOU). Retrieved from https://www.dodmou.com/institutionlist.aspx.
13.
DicksteinC. (2015, October 22). Republicans question DOD’s University of Phoenix probation. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved from http://www.stripes.com/news/republicans-question-dod-s-university-of-phoenix-probation1.374605.
14.
Faculty views about online learning. (2010, October 31). Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Faculty-Views-About-Online/125200.
15.
JaberW. E.MooreD. M. (1999). A survey of factors which influence teachers’ use of computer-based technology.International Journal of Instructional Media, 26(3), 253–254.
16.
JaschikS. (2015, September 14). U of Florida renegotiating contract with Pearson to provide services for UF Online. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/print/news/2015/09/14/u-florida-renegotiating-contract-pearsonprovide-services-uf-online.
17.
KentnorH. E. (2015). Distance Education and the evolution of online learning in the United States.Curriculum and Teaching Dialog, 17 (1/2), 21–34.
18.
MaleckiS.SnyderM. J. (2005, May 19). Improving servicemember access to education. Presentation to the Florida Advisory Council on Military Education, Key West, FL.
19.
Maryland.Gov. (2016). Maryland manual on-line: A guide to Maryland and its government. Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25univ/umuc/html/umuc.html#organ.
20.
MeineM. F. (2002). Chancellor’s report. Troy, AL: Troy University.
21.
MeineM. F. (2005). Chancellor’s report. Troy, AL: Troy University.
22.
MeineM. F. (2008, March–April). The changing face of education: Distance education and the military. Military Advanced Education.
23.
MeyenE. L.TangenP.CindyH. T. (1999). Developing online instruction: Partnership between instructors and technical developers.Journal of Special Education Technology, 14(1), 18.
24.
NelsonS. D. (1998). Distance learning and criminal justice education: Exploring the possibilities.Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 9(2), 333–342.
25.
Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). (2015). Data center. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from http://www.naspaa.org.
26.
SmithL. L. (1999). The future of technology in teaching.USA Today Magazine, 127(2646), 27.
27.
Troy University. (2017). Remote proctor brochure. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://trojan.troy.edu/online/documents/FlipBooks/remote_proctor/TROY-remote%20proctor.
28.
UdasK. (2008, February 19). Institutional panel discussion at the Council of College and Military Educators Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.
