The high cost of gasoline is
apparently driving more students
to take online courses at
Bucks.
Compared to 2007, there
has been an increase in students
taking online courses in
every semester of 2008.
For instance, there was a 35
percent rise in students taking
online courses in the first
summer session of 2008 compared
to last year, and a 32
percent increase this fall compared
to fall 2007.
The increase coincides with
increased fuel prices during
2008. From January to May of
this year, the average price of
gasoline rose from about
$3.10 a gallon to nearly $4 a
gallon.
Georglyn Davidson, the
director of online learning,
said that while no official survey
has been done, information
gathered by word-ofmouth
indicates the increased
cost of gasoline is the main
cause for the increase in
online course enrollment.
Online courses can be taken
from home.
Davidson has started using
the benefits of saved fuel
costs to promote online learning.
At the online learning
website, bucks.edu/online,
there is a link to a fuel savings
calculator, which is just to the
right of their new promotion
slogan, “Fuel your mind.
not your ride!” Online courses
are offered in eLearning
and Hybrid formats. Hybrid
courses have some on-campus
class sessions replaced
with online components,
while eLearning courses are
entirely online except for one
on-campus orientation meeting.
Bucks offers more than
150 separate eLearning courses,
making it possible for a
student to obtain any of 10
different degrees-entirely
through online learning.
Additionally, online courses
offer a greater variety of class
start dates and section
lengths, making online learning
more flexible and convenient
for students.
Despite the benefits of
online learning, Davidson
warns that it is not for everyone.
She explained that some
students learn better when
they can talk to
professors faceto-
face. The
online learning
p r o g r a m
e n c o u r a g e s
i n t e r a c t i o n
between professors
and their
students using
online forums
and e-mail, but
it cannot replace
all the aspects of
being in an actual
classroom.
“If [the students]
are not
successful, then
it didn’t do
them any good
to save their
money on gas,”
she said.