It’s hard to remember a time before online learning was such an integral part of the education landscape. After all, one in three college students take at least one class online, according to the 2010 Sloan Consortium Survey of Online Learning. But, once upon a time, online education was nothing more than a gleam in the eye of a handful of visionaries. You may not know their names, but without the work of these influential people, the online classroom would not offer the exceptional education experience it does today. Take a look at how a few motivated individuals have changed the landscape of education forever.

John Ebersole, founder of the first online degree program and president of Excelsior College

Before John Ebersole came on the scene, online courses were available, but not in a complete degree format. This education pioneer changed all that in 1985, when he developed the first fully online degree program – an accredited online MBA for John F. Kennedy University. He also developed the online programs at Boston University and the University of California, Berkeley. Having previously served as president of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, Ebersole is now the president of Excelsior College, a leader in online and distance learning.

Anne Margulies, CIO of Harvard University

Prior to becoming chief information officer at Harvard, and before her years as CIO for the state of Massachusetts, Anne Margulies was the very first executive director of MIT OpenCourseWare. (You know, that initiative where MIT publishes the basic teaching materials for almost all its curriculum online – for free.) Margulies’ IT leadership and strategic vision were integral to that first decade of open sharing, which boasts more than 2,000 courses published and an estimated 100 million individuals served worldwide. When it comes to making education accessible to everyone, Margulies is forging new paths.

Jose Ferreira, founder and CEO of Knewton

Just as no two brick-and-mortar schools are exactly alike, not all online classrooms are created equal, either. If you’ve ever taken an old-school, videotaped lecture course online, you know what I’m talking about. Enter Jose Ferreira and Knewton, the world’s leading adaptive learning company. With Knewton’s platform, education is no longer one-size-fits-all – it’s customized so that each individual student’s daily work is optimized to fit his or her own unique learning profile. Ferreira is surpassing traditional education models and leading the way in personalized learning.

Dr. Bill Pepicello, president of University of Phoenix

No list of online education bigwigs would be complete without a mention of University of Phoenix, the largest private university in the country. Bill Pepicello is the face of the for-profit giant, as he leverages the online platform to make college accessible to nontraditional students. He was an early champion of distance education for working adults and continues to work toward the democratization of higher education – education for everyone. Pepicello is a strong advocate of technology in the online classroom, ensuring the most flexible and engaging education experience.

They may not be household names – but without the contributions of these innovators, online education might still be in its infancy.

-Robyn Tellefsen

Backpack. Nope.

Parking pass. Nope.

Mini-fridge for the dorm room. Nope.

Online students typically don’t need the must-haves that traditional students have on their back-to-school checklists. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to prepare for online learning.

Your back-to-school preparations will help you succeed in the virtual world and make the best of the flexibility of being an online student.

Online learners need to consider four major things before starting the semester: space, technology, availability, and resources, says Martha Snyder, associate professor of technology in education at the Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Space: Traditional students have physical spaces on campus to study, such as the library or student commons, Snyder says. But online learners need to plan for space. Especially if you have a family, find an uncluttered spot for you to dedicate to your studies (hint: the kitchen table is probably not the best location).

Technology: Your back-to-school shopping list may include a new computer, printer, word processing software, flash drives, and other tools. Look to see what your school recommends. Also, make sure you know how to use the learning management system, such as Blackboard or Moodle, before the class begins, or else you may get frustrated or fall behind.

Update your virus protection, delete old files or programs, and back up essential documents, says Susan Colaric, assistant vice president for instructional technology at Saint Leo University in Florida. Why? She says a computer that is running fast, free of viruses, and doesn’t crash will make completing assignments more worry-free.

Already stressed or dreading the upcoming semester? Consider buying a “skin” to dress up your laptop or a shirt or coffee mug with the school logo, which can give you an emotional lift for starting the new year, Colaric says.

Availability: You aren’t required to be on campus at a certain time, but you still need to plan when you are going to focus on your classroom. Snyder says a rule of thumb is to set aside 10 hours a week for every three hours of class.

Resources: Find out now what type of online resources your school offers and when they are available. That could include an online librarian, tech support, and virtual tutoring.

Also, add these four things to your back-to-school checklist:

1. Do a trial run.

Log into the college’s system to make sure your computer has everything it needs to operate. For example, you may need both Firefox and Safari as browsers, if one has a problem opening up particular documents or files. You also might need to install updated versions of Adobe Acrobat, QuickTime, Windows Media Player, and Flash to see documents, hear audio, and watch videos

2. Set your schedule.

Use your online or phone calendar to block out times for school, and let your family members or friends know that you won’t be available during these times.

3. Review the syllabus.

The syllabus is a key way in which an online instructor will give you dates and course policies. It also will list the books, which you can purchase or download before class begins.

4. Check on employer reimbursement.

If you haven’t done this yet, find out if your company will pay for your education and get that process started. Or maybe you are entitled to GI Bill benefits to help pay for your education.

College rankings, a hotly debated issue, are making their way to the online education arena, to the delight (and chagrin) of many.

In June, U.S. News & World Report sent a letter to college presidents, soliciting their help in completing a cadre of surveys about the makeup, requirements, and quality of their online education programs. This is the rankings giant’s first foray into online degrees; it plans to collect data from all online bachelor’s degree programs in the country, along with online master’s degree programs in business, computer information technology, education, engineering, and nursing. U.S. News will not be ranking online colleges as a whole; for now, it will focus solely on specific degree programs.

The formulas for the rankings have not yet been determined, which will make it difficult for colleges to play to the rankings, since they don’t know what U.S. News is looking for. The organization will solicit a wide range of data and choose criteria after they see what comes back. Not the most sophisticated strategy, but it’s only the first attempt, after all.

Aside from all the usual issues that ranking colleges brings up, some worry that ranking online education programs can be even dicier than measuring their brick-and-mortar counterparts. But surveys will only be sent to schools with proper accreditation, so degree mills should not be rearing their heads in these rankings.

The goal, of course, is to give students some hard data so that they can make more informed choices about their education. And for those seeking to compare online programs the way they might compare traditional programs, the new rankings could be a real time-saver. It’s tough to fight your way through every school’s promo copy, and rankings are one way to give consumers black-and-white info on what a college really provides.

The rankings are just in the preliminary stages, but they’re already garnering lots of attention from well-wishers and naysayers alike. A positive note: the fact that a major college guide is turning its attention to online degrees speaks volumes about the rise of online education and its legitimacy in the public eye. We don’t know if U.S. News will “get it right” – but we’re hopeful.

It’s worth noting that GetEducated.com already ranks online degrees, but only by affordability. Online college rankings based on public perception and student satisfaction appear to be in the works. College Choices for Adults is another site that collects data on online colleges, though it does not rank them.

Keep an eye out for the U.S. News online degree rankings to be released in mid-October.

–Robyn Tellefsen

In Florida, online learning is considered more than just a good option or a positive alternative – it’s deemed a necessary component of a child’s education.

Florida’s Digital Learning Now Act, which went into effect July 1, has been praised for expanding online learning options.

Specifically, the legislation authorizes establishment of virtual charter schools, authorizes blended learning courses, and allows K-12 students from anywhere in the state to enroll in Florida Virtual School Full Time (FLVS FT). Previously, students could only enroll in the school if they lived in approved school districts. Also, students used to be required to attend a brick-and-mortar public school before enrolling in FLVS FT, but the Act removes that restriction. Now, students in kindergarten, 1st grade, and grades 6-12 can directly enroll in the comprehensive program. Students in grades 2-5 must still meet the “prior public school enrollment” requirement, however.

Founded in 1997, FLVS was the first statewide Internet-based public high school in the United States. (Bonus: All courses are free for Florida residents!) So the idea of kids taking online courses to supplement brick-and-mortar coursework has been well-established. But what about kids – especially little kids – taking all their courses online? Though the FLVS FT program was launched in 2009 for grades 6-12, it has since expanded to cover the entire K-12 spectrum.

We discussed the question of K-12 students learning online in a previous post, though it bears revisiting – especially when it comes to young students choosing online education exclusively.

To me, the FLVS FT program seems like homeschool in the early years, as more of the work is completed offline than online. Translation: Parent involvement is essential. The parent is the “Learning Coach,” providing hands-on involvement in the learning process. As the years go by, however, the online curriculum increases, along with the role of the instructor. But even at the high school level, the program is still designed to provide a balance between computer work and offline projects like science experiments and field trips. (Good news for those concerned with kids becoming “computer potatoes.”)

Online Learning Required
Back to the Digital Learning Now Act. What I find especially interesting is that in addition to creating all of these online education options, the legislation has made online education a requirement in Florida. Not only are school districts required to establish virtual instruction options, but high school students must take an online course in order to graduate (starting with students beginning ninth grade this fall).

I don’t know the rationale behind requiring online coursework for high school graduation, but I’m guessing it has something to do with exposing kids to the benefits of technology in education. While making online education mandatory strikes me as odd (is it just me?), I do see a potential benefit: with early exposure, students who later choose online learning for their higher education may be better equipped to handle the unique challenges of the platform. And for those who aren’t cut out for the demands of online education, it could be helpful to find that out early on, too.

Lots of changes afoot in the online education realm… but here’s what it comes down to for me: However students learn best, I’m for it.

–Robyn Tellefsen