Internet Learning Volume 4, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 105

Internet Learning
Introduction
Allen and Seaman’s (2014) report
of online education in the United
States (U.S.) continues to establish
the Internet’s increasing role in higher
education. Their latest installment expands
on three trends advanced in their tenth
annual report (Allen & Seaman, 2013). First,
Allen and Seaman confirm the number of
U.S. institutions offering online courses
continues to climb. While the “vast majority
of higher education (71.7%) institutions
had some form of online offering” in 2002,
today that number stands at 86.5 percent
(p. 20). In short, it is now rare for a U.S.
university not to offer coursework online.
Second, Allen and Seaman note
the number of public and private online
university degree programs offered in
the U.S. continues to grow. The number
of degree programs offered fully online
jumped from “48.9% of U.S. institutions in
2002 to 70.6% in 2012” (Allen & Seaman,
2013, p. 21). In the last decade alone online
private nonprofit degree programs in the
U.S. have more than doubled from “22.1% in
2002 to 48.4% in 2012” (p. 21). Even small,
residential, liberal arts colleges are looking
to online learning to give their students
summer and study abroad flexibility. In
short, no sector is immune to the growth of
online learning.
Third, Allen and Seaman report the
number of students taking online courses
in the U.S. continues to increase. Whereas
less than 10 percent of students in the U.S.
were taking an online course in 2002, that
percentage stood “at 32 percent” in 2012
(Allen & Seaman, 2013, p. 4). This increase
is particularly noteworthy because while
the number of students enrolled in higher
education fell in 2012, the number of those
taking online courses rose to 6.7 million.
These findings illustrate how fast higher
education has changed as institutions have
worked to make the web a classroom.
One way researchers have analyzed
online education is by way of the different
parties impacted by it (e.g., students, faculty,
and universities). Although students have
received the bulk of attention to date in the
literature—and justifiably so—attention
has also been given to the instructor. In
courses since 1998. Consequently, his current research interests focus on the pedagogy of online teaching and
learning.
E
Dr. Vanessa Slinger-Friedman is an Associate Professor of Geography and Associate Director of Distance
Education for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kennesaw State University. Originally from
Trinidad, Dr. Slinger-Friedman obtained her M.A. in Latin American Studies and Ph.D. in Geography from
the University of Florida. An area of research interest for Dr. Slinger-Friedman is innovative pedagogy and
online teaching.
F
Dr. Joe Terantino is Associate Professor of Foreign Language Education & Spanish, co-Director of the Master
of Arts in Foreign Languages, and Director of the Foreign Language Resource Center. His expertise lies
in teaching methodology, second language acquisition, distance learning, and computer-assisted language
learning. He is a passionate user and researcher of instructional technology, distance learning, and social
media who enjoys the challenge of tinkering with new technologies. In particular, he is interested in computer-assisted
language learning, foreign language education, and the integration of technology in teaching.
G
Tiffani Reardon is an instructional designer at Kennesaw State University. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English
from KSU and is currently working toward a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology
from Georgia State University. Her research interests include instructional design and technology, technical
writing, online learning, web design, and foreign languages. Tiffani also works freelance as a web designer
under the name eTiff Designs out of her home where she lives with her Yorkie-Poo, Nutmeg, and her partner,
Josh in Acworth, Ga.
104