Mar 19, 2009 9:30 AM EDT"Experts Debate Cost Savings Of Virtual Ed."
Education Week, Vol. 28, Issue 25, Pages 1,9
By Katie Ash
"A group of superintendents and secondary school educators in Massachusetts gathered recently to discuss how online courses might help offset budget cuts. Maryland state officials, meanwhile, say their virtual Advanced Placement classes are a cost-effective way to get high-quality coursework to more students.
And the largest state-sponsored online school in the country, the Florida Virtual School, has long argued that online courses cost less than face-to-face classes—an especially attractive pitch when budgets are tight.
But is e-learning really more cost-effective than traditional, brick-and-mortar schooling?" ...
By Katie Ash
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"A group of superintendents and secondary school educators in Massachusetts gathered recently to discuss how online courses might help offset budget cuts. Maryland state officials, meanwhile, say their virtual Advanced Placement classes are a cost-effective way to get high-quality coursework to more students.
And the largest state-sponsored online school in the country, the Florida Virtual School, has long argued that online courses cost less than face-to-face classes—an especially attractive pitch when budgets are tight.
But is e-learning really more cost-effective than traditional, brick-and-mortar schooling?"
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An article in Education Week, originally published online on March 16, 2009 and in print on March 18, 2009, discusses whether online education saves money or drains it. The answer, according to the article, "depends on what curriculum is used, whether it is a full-time or part-time program, what state you are in, and how many students you need to serve, among other factors."
In the end, while online learning can be a beneficial cost-saving solution, schools and programs should not seek to initiate it just to save money. Rather, online learning should be considered for its value in improving education.
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