In today’s post-pandemic world, online learning options are as abundant as ever
While online learning isn’t exactly a new concept, many people would largely agree that the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to the forefront, showing how it can be advantageous to students, families, and instructors, even when not dealing with a global health emergency.
Online classes can be a game-changer for many students who would otherwise face a long commute if they aren’t living on a college campus, or for those who need a flexible schedule in order to be able to work and pay for school at the same time.
Where they can trim costs is highly likely to influence where someone chooses to go to school, especially as higher education tuition and other costs are only getting higher.
The University of Houston is no stranger to online programs, as it has taught a large number of online and hybrid courses for many years. In fact, prior to the pandemic, UH was scheduled to teach over 350,000 student credit hours in online and hybrid courses during the 2020 academic year, according to Jeff Morgan, associate provost, education innovation and technology at the University of Houston. The university’s UH Extend initiative is designed for students seeking fully online degree and certificate programs that are both convenient and affordable and aims to help students control costs by charging a flat tuition rate, with no additional fees.
“We have certainly seen a bump from the pandemic, and UH Extend was born during the pandemic, but online and hybrid courses have been our largest growth area at UH for many years,” Morgan said. “While most of our students take the majority of their courses face to face, 80% of our undergraduates currently take at least one online or hybrid course each semester, 50% take at least two, and over 30% take at least three in the process of completing their traditional degrees.”
Another unique feature is that UH Extend students pay the same tuition, regardless of where they live, meaning they pay the same flat rate whether they are currently in state, out of state, or are international students.
“We understand that the cost of a college degree or certificate is a major factor for students when deciding where to attend school,” Morgan said. “Since all UH Extend students pay the same tuition, it’s a great opportunity for students living inside or outside the state of Texas to earn a UH degree.”
The biggest area of focus of UH Extend is from the programs in the C. T. Bauer College of Business, which offers undergraduate degrees in several areas of business administration, along with an online MBA, and master’s degrees in accountancy, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, and other popular areas. It’s also different from UH’s regular, online programs in that UH Extend students will have limited access
“We have certainly seen a bump from the pandemic, and UH Extend was born during the pandemic, but online and hybrid courses have been our largest growth area at UH for many years.”
Jeff Morgan, UH associate provost, education innovation and technology
to some on-campus services and will be limited to enrolling in only online courses.
“UH Extend programs are just like our on-campus programs and are taught by the same experienced instructors using the same quality standards as our face-to-face programs,” Morgan said.
Online learning isn’t limited to post-secondary education, though. The pandemic certainly highlighted the need to adapt and create feasible remote learning options in case something like a
global emergency occurs again.
There are generally two types of programs for online learning in K-12 public education: online courses for credit, and fully virtual schools, according to Cary Wright, CEO of Good Reason Houston, an organization that aims to accelerate quality and progress within public schools in the greater Houston area.
Houston ISD is one example that offers a 100% remote option through its partnership with Texas Connections Academy.
Individual courses are available for a fee through many local districts, including HISD, Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Spring ISD, and Pasadena ISD. These courses can provide high school credit or even college credit through advanced placement and dual-credit courses. The Texas Virtual School Network (TVSN) through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) maintains a list of free accredited virtual schools for grades three to 12 and a catalog of tuition-based online courses.
“All programs available through the TVSN are accredited by the TEA and students are not limited to programs provided by local districts and can consider options across the state through the TVSN network,” Wright says. “The virtual schools are reviewed to ensure they meet state curriculum standards and are subject to the same accountability standards as inperson public schools.”
If families are interested in a program outside of the TVSN list, they are encouraged to check the accreditation status through the TEA website.
Resources are also available to help parents who are interested in distance learning find the right program for their student.
Full-time public school programs receive report cards from the state, which show schools’ accountability ratings and student performance. For individual courses, the TVSN course catalog outlines the cost and performance of virtual classes.
“The virtual schools are reviewed to ensure they meet state curriculum standards and are subject to the same accountability standards as in-person public schools.”
Cary Wright, CEO
Good Reason Houston
For more about UH’s online and hybrid learning, visit uh.edu/online/programs/online-programs.
For Good Reason Houston, visit goodreasonhouston.org.