The “Myths” About Online Education
I received an email from a student asking me what he could do when people state that American Military University (AMU) or American Public University (APU) are “diploma mills” or unaccredited. I thought I would post my response.
The “myths” that AMU or APU are diploma mills or unaccredited are invalid. In most cases, the myths are more than likely disseminated by individuals who do not care for online colleges and universities. Faculty and staff members of accredited institutions that operate partially online or totally online have heard the negative perceptions about online education for years and have worked hard to demonstrate the evidence that supports learning in online programs. A May 2009 study published by the U.S. Department of Education entitled Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies stated that students learn better in online programs than in face-to-face programs . The researchers examined over 1,000 published research papers involving online and face-to-face learners.
The FACTS about AMU’s existence and accreditation are irrefutable. AMU is one of two universities that form the American Public University System (APUS). APUS is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA), one of eight regional accrediting bodies in the United States and the largest regional accrediting body in terms of the number of colleges that it accredits. You can find our name, accreditation status, and other pertinent information listed on its website at: http://hlcommission.org/component/option,com_directory/Action,ShowBasic/Itemid,184/instid,2853/lang,en/. Among the 1,000 plus colleges and universities accredited by NCA are the University of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, and Northwestern University. The accreditation process is lengthy and complex and includes many visits by very well educated academics. A diploma mill would not survive such a review process. The American Public University System has also been accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council since 1995. The link for AMU is at this address: http://detc.org/school_details.php?id=169. APUS is licensed in West Virginia and Virginia which are the two states where we have offices with our administrative and academics leadership and staff. We have over 60,000 students and over 10,000 alumni. Two-thirds of our students are active duty military personnel. The Department of Defense requires all colleges and universities that participate in its tuition assistance program to be accredited and licensed by a recognized accrediting body.
Additionally, APUS has over 1200 faculty members whose names and credentials are listed on our website. These professionals would not stake their reputation by working for a diploma mill or unaccredited institution. Our faculty and staff present at many conferences each year and proudly list their affiliation. Most, if not all, of these conferences would not accept presenters from unaccredited institutions.
Lastly, whenever anyone has a concern about a statement that is made about our accreditation, please do not hesitate to contact our Office of Institutional Advancement at accreditation@apus.edu. They will be glad to help you set the record straight.
Excellent response and on the mark.
APUS/AMU and similar institutions are responding to a national need. They have opened the doors to higher education to countless numbers of persons that, due to economics, occupational or family commitments, would not otherwise have been be able to attend a traditional ‘brick and mortar’ building because we have had to make a living working during the day.
Students and potential students must understand that the critics often have bias because they (a) don’t understand how distance learning works, (b) are employed in traditional settings, often at public taxpayer expense (the public trough) therefore are motivated by job security concerns and (c) can’t meet the challenge of working during the day while also going to college. As an AMU alumni, I can honestly state that my Master’s education made me a better military officer and a better businessman.
Further, as one who has just paid to have two daughters finish with B.A. degrees in traditional school settings, I would submit the APUS/AMU programs would have been more beneficial in preparing them for the real world of work and would have allowed me (as a parent)more economical/common sense options. Unfortunately, as products of the public high school system, our children get ‘poisoned’ by high school faculties that have primarily attended traditional brick/mortar colleges which leads our children to believing that they must attend a traditional school in order to excel. While I dutifully accommodated the desire, I maintained then and now: ‘It’s not where you get your degree that’s important; its what you do with it once you have it.”
Only those who are ignorant will comment that online education is a diploma mill
I received my Bachelor of Science in Accounting using a combination of traditional classroom setting and online class. I can honestly state that online classes are harder and required more work for student but I learn more in online class than in traditional classrom setting. Online class forces you to read your textbook/materials from cover to cover and do more research to fully understand the subject matter while at classroom, you can pass your class just listening to your instructor.
To be successful in online class, you need to have the descipline and commitment to study harder. Right now, I’m looking to continue my education and this time I am looking for a 100% online degree. APU/AMU is in one of my short list of schools I am considering.
There does seem to be a certain element in society that perpetuates the “degree mill” mentality. Why? Who knows.
As a business owner who often worked 60-80 hour weeks while attending various online schools over the years, one thing became increasingly apparent to me (and reminded me of something my mother said to me as a young boy) “you get out of it what you put into it.”
Let’s face it, there are driven and optomistic people, and there are others who will look for ways to blame society. I will be happily attending APU/AMU in the fall to complete a degree after years of tinkering around the edges.
Do I think this is a degree mill, no way.
I’m looking forward to meeting, networking, and learning about my new colleagues and fellow students, not to mention earning a degree that will have real value in my future earning years.
Personally, my learning style and schedule are a perfect match for the online learning environment. So, to those who say degree mills, I retort, ” What have you done lately?”
Sir: I am about to get my MA in Military History from AMU and I fully support the on-line learning concept.Frankly, I could not otherwise have realized my long-held dream of eventually having a worthy credential in this field, were it not for AMU.
That said, I do believe that a fully online course of study is NOT suitable for most young people. Perhaps APUS/AMU might consider an optional undergrad program for more recent HS graduates that combines an on-line and on-campus education, in short, semi-annual, seminar-type sessions at a regional locations.
It might cost a bit more, but most young people (and even some older students) inherently need more structure in establishing educational goals and objectives and,just as critically, the opportunity to more fully develop their interpersonal social skills with their peers and faculty. It’s not surprizing that the major advantage of attending a brick and mortar college is not the courses, in and of themselves, but the person-to- person social skills, contacts and long-standing friendships that were developed. It seems to me that facebook “friends” are not true friends but just folks who like to add names to a collection.
Miguel: I understand where you are coming from and I too would love for APUS to have an on-campus institution. That said, it’s common for traditional brick ‘n mortars to add online options, but I have yet to hear of an online for-profit expanding into an on-campus setting. It’s merely wishful thinking.