Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 1, Spring 2015 | Page 88

Internet Learning Journal – Volume 4, Issue 1 – Spring 2015
3 Questions for an Online Learning Leader!
WALLY BOSTON
President and CEO of American Public University System
1!
2!
What I Think About Student Success in Online Learning
Dr. Wallace Boston is the president and chief executive officer for American Public
University System—a four-year fully online university boasting over 100,000 students and
more than 90-degree programs. It should come as no surprise that Dr. Boston's research
agenda focuses on student persistence, retention and degree completion in online
postsecondary learning environments. I had the chance to sit down with this issue's "3
Questions for an Online Learning Leader" and ask him about the continuing hot topic of
online education and student success.
How would you describe the
manifestation of success for an APUS
online student?
On the surface, most people think that
success for one of our students would be
the completion of a degree. Our students
have a wide variety of personal and
professional goals and that leads me to
conclude that success is best defined as the
continued academic progression and
reenrollment of a student until he/she has
completed their individual goal. That goal
could be the completion of a single course
that enhances their knowledge of a subject
or completes their degree at another
institution, it could be the completion of a
certificate that enhances their knowledge
and is valued as a resume booster for a
promotion at work, or it could be the
completion of a degree that leads to
additional career opportunities.
In what ways have you seen the needs of online student's change over the last five
years?
Five years ago, there were fewer colleges and universities offering fully online degree
programs. With more offerings, students are much more selective about degree relevance,
course availability, tuition price, quality of the course content, and student service. With
prospective and current students seeking these features, I believe it ratchets up the quality
86!