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Students wishing to pursue higher education will now have another, more convenient option, thanks to a new alliance announced by New York community colleges. The new distance learning alliance involves six New York community colleges offering 100 percent online degree programs in various fields. The coalition may be just the beginning of a more significant movement to make prospective students aware of their distance options available through local community colleges nationwide.

Online Alliance Expands Degree Choices

The Corning Leader reports that the State University of New York (SUNY) has announced an online learning alliance that will offer 34 associate degree programs through six state community colleges. The new coalition, dubbed the Online Western New York Learning Alliance (OWL), includes Corning, Erie, Finger Lakes, Genesee, Jamestown, and Monroe Community Colleges.

Students can complete the new degree programs online, eliminating time and location constraints they might have battled in the past. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, the movement is to better compete with for-profit schools that offer online programs for a higher price and often of lesser quality. The alliance provides a more significant presence for online education through community colleges in the area, hoping to attract more students and increase college completion rates overall.

“We have created this alliance so that [students] can be better informed about what we have,” Terry Keys, assistant vice president for educational technology services at Monroe Community College, told the Democrat

Online education is becoming a prevalent option at institutions of higher education. More and more community colleges are offering students both on-site and online course choices to accommodate students’ busy schedules and geographical challenges. While online education might sound like a convenient option at first glance, this style of learning is not right for every student. Check out the pros and cons of online education before deciding whether distance learning will be the best fit for you.

Types of Online Education

Online education does not fit a single mold; there are many different models of distance learning utilized by community colleges today. Some of the various type of online education, listed at Campus Explore, include:

Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning is a style that allows students to work at their own pace. Its primary popularity lies in its extreme flexibility; students do not have to follow a set schedule for lectures, homework assignments or other coursework. Material is generally distributed online and often includes audio or visual aids to bring the material to life. Students often have opportunities to interact with other students online, and assignments are typically delivered through an electronic bulletin board or similar format.

Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning involves set times for class work, whether through physical classrooms, online chat rooms or video conferencing. Students have less flexibility with this type of learning environment, but they do have more opportunity for interaction with professors and other students. This type of learning may also

As tuition costs continueto increase at higher education institutions across the country, many students are considering transitioning to community college once they earn their high school diploma. Although these schools were once considered below par in postsecondary education, the quality provided by many community colleges has been on track with many four-year schools today. The focus on community colleges by the Obama Administration has resulted in additional funding and industry-focused training that increases employment opportunities once the degree is earned. We have eight reasons why community college might be the best choice for some high school graduates.

Affordability

Although tuition is getting more expensive, community colleges are still significantly more affordable than most four-year institutions. The average annual rate to attend a four-year university could run as high as $30,000 or more, while the annual tuition at a community college probably won’t cost much more than $5,000. In addition, many community college students continue to live at home while taking classes, saving money on room and board.

Based on our prior calculations comparing a community college with a private four-year university, you could first save $80,000 by attending community college for two years!

With more affordable prices overall, community college students often find they can foot the bill for their education without taking on significant debt before graduation. Considering that many university students graduate with debt in the six-figure range,

The Obama Administration has focused heavilyon community colleges and college completion rates over the past three years, raising awareness about the importance of education in improving the country’s unemployment rate. However, some have criticized the President for placing too much emphasis on education and not enough on actual job development. In addition to the Skills for America's Future program initiated in 2011, President and Education Secretary Arne Duncan unveiled their latest plan to transform vocational education nationwide.

Making a Solid Investment

The latest initiative by the White House is titled “Investing in America’s Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education.” The program was designed as an outline for revamping the current Perkins Act of 2006, initially created to provide funding for vocational training at the secondary and postsecondary levels. According to the U.S. Department of Education website, the Perkins Act primarily distributes funding through state grants, which State Boards for Vocational Education are encouraged and eligible to apply.

While the Perkins Act has been significant in developing vocational training across America, the current administration believes it could go further in helping Americans train for the industries that have the highest need for skilled workers today. At a time when unemployment rates are still high, a restructuring of the Perkins Act could make vocational training more widely available both to displaced workers and high school graduates who cannot afford the hefty tuition rates at a four-year institution.

Duncan reported in the Huffington Post: