In the ongoing debate about the relative advantages of online and classroom education, Wal-Mart employees have taken a stance. In a survey, nearly three-quarters “preferred online study to attending a local college”. The educational opportunities will be offered through American Public University (APU), with about 70,000 students, a number that will undoubtedly swell soon.
APU will “enable Walmart and Sam’s Club U.S. associates to earn a college degree at an affordable price through a combination of academic credit awarded for Walmart job learning and experience, and online coursework through APU”, according to APU .
The Boston Globe article went on to say that “students won’t have to pay for credits awarded based on their training,” which can be used for business courses. “Wal-Mart said the school will have evaluated for credit jobs held by 70 percent of Wal-Mart workers by 2012,” which is one 1 million workers.
The only large scale e-learning effort to rival this I can recall is a number of years ago when the US Army announced partnerships with a slew of online schools to encourage education during service regardless of location or frequent changes in location.
I wonder how APU plans to ramp up? And I wonder how many Wal-Mart employees are using their employee discounts to stock up on notebooks and pens – or laptops.
Nowadays, the best practice in learning bu using new technologies like Flip Camera in Classroom…
This is so true. In my line of work, I talk to a lot of people about their high school diploma and most of them choose to do it on the internet.
Online learning is preferred by this group of individuals because they are working. Having a job and also going to school can be a challenge. One of the benefits of online learning is that participants can access information and learn the content at the convenience of time and place and the comfort of their own home. Whether it’s synchronous or asynchronous, e-learning is definitely a better choice for this group of individuals.
I was just curoius about whther or not you are aware of the Wal-mart program’s use of synchronous versus asynchronous e-learning environments. I can very much understand their preference of on-line versus classroom learning being that many of them probably work multiple hours and then take classes after/before that. On-line learning definitely provides flexibility in timing but I am curious as to whether or not they are enjoying the learning in a synchronous/asynchronous or hyvrid manner.
There is always a debate between the classroom and E learning methodology. E learning may have become popular and easily accessible but the ultimate is ” whether e-learning really helps in understanding a problem in depth”..