"Go to the Head of the Class," by Heath Row, Fast Company, May 1999

This article discusses learning via the internet and the growing number of formal distance learning programs. The main reason why on-line learning continues to grow so rapidly is that it is accessible. The possibilities are endless. Courses on the web range from quick how to's to Masters level degree programs. Need to upgrade your computer skills? No problem--there are literally hundreds of sites with on-line courses available. It is both exciting and exhausting, but is it right for everyone? As Betsy likes to say, "it depends." No doubt, the internet is an easy way to access all kinds of information-if you have the time. I once enrolled in an on-line course for web page design, but it was difficult for me to concentrate on the lessons at work with constant interruptions. Instead of completing the on-line course, I asked a peer to teach me what I needed to learn. So much for accessibility! Creating web-based learning programs is a booming business. An instructional designer interviewed for the article said just because a person is good at putting content on a web page doesn't necessarily mean they know how to create a learning environment that's right for students. His philosophy is that "people need products that are friendly, responsive, and intuitive." I can relate to this comment as I have done a search of programs and courses available via the internet and have seen many sites that look nice, but do not offer enough information or are not at all user-friendly. Students enrolled in on-line courses were interviewed for this article and cited procrastination as a major drawback to completing their courses. They also listed the lack of interaction with other people but advised others to "leverage" the connections they do make and utilize the "chat" functions available on many of the web programs. Members of our M.Ed/Extension cohort can probably relate to this philosophy and the discipline it takes to be a successful distance learner. I found my colleagues at work to be clueless about options for on-line learning when we discussed this article. They appreciated it when I pulled up samples of web sites (including the M.Ed/Extension Cohort's home page) and described the many possibilities. This article gave me a better understanding of the growing trend of learning via the internet and insights into what makes a good on-line learning environment.

-- Anonymous, June 29, 1999