Page 249 - Crisis in Higher Education

220 • Crisis in Higher Education

4. Students should have short courses in professional development to
prepare for their job search.
5. Student-centered learning, which is customized to meet individual
learning needs, should make it easier and faster to learn. This may be
more challenging in general education courses, but it can be accom-
plished using technology.
6. Online programs and courses can become a low-cost way to deliver
a quality education and make it more accessible. Universities should
do the following:
a. Make the upfront investments to develop high-quality programs
and courses.
b. Invest in technology to deliver program content effectively.
c. Start with high-enrollment courses, where it is possible to enjoy
economies of scale.
d. Offer complete programs so online students can graduate with-
out setting foot on campus.
e. Create educational programs that are secure so the person who
received the grade is the person actually doing the work.
f. Share online offerings with other universities to spread the fixed
costs of course development.
g. Have no activity fees for students enrolling in online learning.

REFERENCES

1. National Center for Education Statistics. 2015. Undergraduate Enrollment. http://
nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cha.asp (accessed December 13, 2016).
2. National Center for Education Statistics. 2015. Postbaccalaureate Enrollment.
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_chb.asp (accessed December 13, 2016).
3. National Center for Education Statistics. 2015. Graduation Rates. https://nces.
ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40 (accessed July 5, 2016).
4. eHow.com. 2016. Credit Hours Needed for a Bachelor’s Degree. http://www.ehow.com/
facts_4779696_credit-hours-needed-bachelor-degree.html (accessed December 11,
2016).
5. Complete College America. 2012. Program Requirements for Associate’s and Bachelor’s
Degrees: A National Survey. http://www.completecollege.org/docs/Program%20
Requirements%20-%20A%20National%20Survey.pdf (accessed December 11, 2016).
6. The University of Pennsylvania. 2016. College Curriculum: Structure and Requirements.
https://www.college.upenn.edu/curriculum-structure (accessed December 7, 2016).
7. The University of Toledo. 2016. University Core Curriculum. https://www.utoledo.
edu/catalog/pdf/University_Core_2009_2010.pdf (accessed December 7, 2016).