Virtual education

The question of virtual schooling has arisen again (at least it did on Education Week late last week)...

Critics are challenging the notion that online education is "as good as in-person." To me, the question is not about virtual schools and the credibility questions are not relative to those (although virtual schools should meet the same level of excellence we expect all schools to meet), the question is about for-profit schools.

I have attended and worked a range of schools, including for-profit universities. As with all education, the quality of the learner depends more on the approach of the student than the nature of the institution (good students are good students no matter where they attend). For-profit schools do adopt the business mentality, however, of measuring everything quantitatively. Enrollment equals dollars, and the for-profit schools knows that best.

Enrollment is best achieved, also, by creating the least objectionable curriculum possible... my experience with for-profit education confirms that they build curriculum around well-entrenched ideas and any innovative thinking or challenges to the system are not well-received.