Dive Brief:
- Demand for online programs is growing and students are becoming more comfortable with the classes, but some smaller schools are worried about sacrificing their personalized instruction for the convenience of online learning.
- Some small colleges worry that not offering online courses will make it harder for them to compete for students.
- At one small Florida college, the solution was to introduce "blended" classes — courses that combine online learning with in-classroom interaction.
Dive Insight:
It stands to reason that smaller schools with fewer resources might want to watch the online learning trend play out before jumping on the bandwagon — but they do risk being left behind if they wait too long. Blending online and traditional courses seems like a smart way of testing the waters.