OK - We all know that there's been a lot of talk here at DegreeInfo about the pros and cons of for-profit universities. What I want to know is, "Which one of you has been talking to TIME magazine?" Going for Broke - TIME (ACCSC/ACICS accredited Westwood College takes a BIG slap to the head in this one)
From what I've read, mainstream media coverage of distance learning is all shit anyway. I stopped reading those things, as it just made me depressed about the deplorable state of journalism. U.S. News and BusinessWeek are especially inept. -=Steve=-
"To read this article in its entirety, pick up a copy of TIME magazine at your local newsstand or download the TIME iPad app. Or, to have TIME magazine delivered to your door every week, subscribe." Who is the knucklehead at TIME who thought of this? "Hey, we're only going to put the first three paragraphs online, but if you want to read more, there is no way to buy access online or even read the full article online. Instead, go the newsstand to buy the dead-tree edition of TIME, or download an app for a device you don't own." This defeats the whole purpose of having a web site or putting news content online. Idiots. If they want to make money on their content, why don't they just sell advertising or install Google Adsense like everyone else?
I concur. Online education is the current whipping boy for the media. Once the sensation value has worn off, they will find something else to trash. Maybe the next thing will be exposing the evils of guys who spend too much time on discussion boards. If so, I'm doomed.
If only Online Education had gotten Osama... That would've boosted its approval rating! :biglaugh: I'm still amazed at how many people I talk to who are completely ignorant of distance education. I have a colleague who insists that online classes are jokes, yet he rants and raves about how hard one of our principals is working while doing her EdD at UoP. It's hypocrisy. -Matt
Actually, U.S. military personnel make a lot of use of distance learning. I say we take partial credit! -=Steve=-
We have it. The focus is on good old Westwood "College" and it's conniving ways. A little history of for-profit education. Talks about Senator Harkin's Senate inquiry. Says Westwood's default rate is 24%. Says the industry "can't defend" its aggressive marketing tackets such as overstating future earnings potential or job-placement rates. Article is only 2 pages of text and one full page picture of Melissa Rothrock with her rent-a-center laptop sitting at a restaurant table with her kid using the free wi-fi. Basically she got screwed when she tried to re-enroll after a brief stop out because her state (Texas) won't let Westwood enroll new students because it isn't certified to operate in the state.
