Kelly 1

Erin Kelly

Professor Babcock

ENG137

10 November, 2017

Education Mimics Societal Values

As the development of the internet progresses, the ability to obtain boundless knowledge

increases. People can obtain any fact, that they have ever wanted to know, at the click of a

mouse. However, the internet had not been capitalized upon as a method of true, reliable learning

until the recent creation of legitimate online learning websites. Online learning has allowed for a

paradigm shift in the way that people are educated, for traditional, rigid learning is no longer the

only option. The shift from traditional learning environments to web based sites (that either

supplement classroom taught information or that teach entire courses online) demonstrates a

significant shift in society’s values. Modern society emphasizes convenience, intelligence, and

financial accessibility far greater than ever before, causing this sudden surge in the popularity of

online education.

While many people still prefer the traditional classroom learning style, the shift to online

classes has changed the dynamic of learning for many people over time. Online classes are an

advanced form of distance education, which is defined as a “study at all levels which are not

under the continuous, immediate supervision of tutors present with their students in lecture

rooms or on the same premises, but which, nevertheless, benefit from the planning, guidance and

tuition of a tutorial organization” (Keegan). Online learning has roots based in past distance

learning, during which teachers sent letters back and forth to their students who were too far to

attend classes. The first recorded teacher of distance learning was Caleb Phillips in 1728, who
 Kelly 2

instructed shorthand to many students all across America from Boston, Massachusetts (Miller).

After these distance teachers began to pop up, many traditional schools took up correspondence

courses through letters too, the first college being the University of Chicago in 1892 (Miller). As

radio and TV progressively became popular, they also became forms of distance learning

through which students and teachers could communicate from far distances. Finally, as the

internet grew in popularity as well, virtual colleges, as versions of distance learning, also began

to grow. In fact, the Coastal Community College, in 1976, was the first virtual college with no

physical base campus (Miller). In addition, Michigan State University offered Computer

Assisted Personalized Approach (CAPA) and Open University developed an experimental

Virtual Summer School (VSS) around the same years in the 1980’s (Miller). Ultimately, as

society entered the 2000’s, the internet became more popular and readily available for many,

causing a large increase in those who used online colleges or even online learning supplemental

sites. One private online college that grew in popularity was the University of Phoenix, which in

2014 was the rated number one in the highest enrollment rates in the United States with 195,059

students (“Fast Facts—Online Enrollment). This incredible rate of enrollment highlighted the

extent to which the online classes grew. However, it was not just University of Phoenix that

garnered success; many online educational groups have experienced an increase in enrollment. In

2014, the rate of increase in those who enrolled in any online class was 3.7% per year, and just

one year later, in 2015, the rate of increase in enrollment grew to 3.9% (“Online Report Card”).

So why is online learning making sudden leaps and bounds in popularity? The public’s

increasing interest in virtual education actually mirrors several of modern society’s newfound

values.
 Kelly 3

Before discussing why society has shifted to online learning, it is critical to note that the shift

from traditional learning to online classes is not limited to formal online college enrollment. An

even more nouveau concept of online learning is the development of supplemental websites like

CourseNotes.com in 2000, iTunes U in 2006, or Khan Academy in 2007 (Miller). One example,

Khan Academy, is a website composed of over two thousand educational videos which are

watched by around six million students (“Khan Academy Founder Talks on Educational

Success”). Websites like this allow a student to learn what he or she wants or even to brush up on

information taught in the classroom. Though the student does not receive a degree at the end of

completing the modules, the availability of online supplemental learning, like Khan Academy,

has effected a change in the way that society learns and has access to information. Ultimately,

society’s new tendency towards online education, whether institutionalized or supplemental,

demonstrates a meaningful shift in societies values.

Society has begun to gravitate towards online learning for a variety of reasons. One of the

most influential factors is the that online learning is highly convenient, and convenience is highly

coveted in society today. Traditional learning involves rigid hours spent in a facility potentially

far away from home. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between the years of 2011 and

2015, a high school student would spend between 5.5 and 6.5 hours in the classroom per week

day, while the average college student would spend around 3.5 hours there (“Charts by Topic:

Students”). While a high school student spends more time physically in class, both college and

high school students will find themselves in a classroom watching a teacher for extended hours

at a time. This situation lent itself to be impractical for many individuals who have outside jobs

or family that must be attended to. In fact, a survey collected data which demonstrated that forty-

three percent of online college students could not go to a campus because of a “new personal
 Kelly 4

event that prevented [continuation],” and twenty-two percent expressed that they enrolled in

online schooling because they “got a new job that prevented [continuation]” (Clinefelter and

Aslanian 12). Online courses and lessons have offered solutions to these issues. The internet can

generally be accessed at any time or at any place as long as there is internet service. In fact, by

2015, 3.2 billion people were able to access the internet world wide, which was an incredible

leap from the 400 million users in 2000 (“Internet Used by 3.2 Billion People in 2015”). As

access to education became easier and more convenient, the popularity of education also

increased. Furthermore, it is also important to mention that online schooling can save a person

time when it comes to commuting; however, the degree of this advantage is different for all

students depending on their locations. Ultimately, online college is far more convenient in

regards to access and even commuting, making it also much more appealing than traditional

schooling.

In addition to entire courses or colleges online, supplementary websites allow for students to

experience a desirably convenient education as well. Students can avoid the bother of hiring a

tutor or going to class after hours to seek help. Learners can now easily look up valid online

educational sites and begin studying at home. Some of these free sites include Coursera, Khan

Academy, Open Culture, and many more. A study conducted on Khan Academy in 2014 found

that “65% of teachers [who used Kahn Academy] said that Khan Academy increased their ability

to help struggling students catch up” (Murphy et al. xi). Supplemental websites can easily

provide quick solutions to students who are struggling or even those who just want extra

practice. These students just simply have to look up a topic and begin learning. The ease at

which students can access legitimate knowledge online is one of the main reasons why online
 Kelly 5

learning has become so popular even for those not at the college level, and this growth in

popularity demonstrates just how much society gravitates towards convenience.

Convenience has always been somewhat desired, but in the past people did not seek out

convenience as often as modern society does today (simply demonstrated by the plethora of new

inventions created to make modern living easier—like fast food or online shopping). People

constantly are looking for even more solutions that can save time, and one convenient solution is

online learning. Online learning can save time in the classroom, time commuting, and time when

it comes to seeking extra help. The desire for ease in accessibility is seen everywhere, but one

thing is for certain—the time-saving ability of education, right from home, has become rather

appealing to our convenience-obsessed society.

Society has also become obsessed with another value—intelligence. The new emphasis

placed on the value of intelligence has contributed to the shift in the popularity of online college,

for intelligence can be verified by a college degree which can be achieved is through legitimate

online learning sources. This new, greater value in intelligence has occurred in relatively recent

years, shown by the almost necessary prerequisite to have a college degree when applying for a

job. In 2011, out of several companies interviewed, thirty-seven percent had admitted that they

hire only college graduates for jobs that had once been given to high school graduates (Elejalde-

Ruiz). When these companies were questioned why they hire who they do, sixty percent

responded that the jobs of their companies have changed, requiring more educated employees

(Elejalde-Ruiz). The newly evolved competition in the work place for the most intelligent

employees correlates with the increase in online enrollments. People have begun to look towards

online universities as alternatives to traditional learning in order to meet this education

requirement, increasing the popularity of online universities. Simply, as the requirement for
 Kelly 6

higher education increases, the enrollment in online education also increases as an option to

fulfill this new standard, demonstrating how society’s new value of intelligence correlates with

the recent growth in online education.

While being educated has become more important for job-seeking adults, younger students in

high school also find that the bar has been raised for intelligence, thereby increasing the use of

supplementary education through online sites as a way to keep up with the intellectual standard.

Just from 2004 to 2014, enrollment in college has increased by seventeen percent, demonstrating

the increased competition to get into higher education and develop greater intelligence (“Fast

Facts Enrollment”). This competition manifests itself in standardized testing like the SAT or

ACT. Marilyn McGrath, the director of undergraduate admissions at Harvard explains that the

standardized tests “help [the college admissions group] calibrate a student’s grades,” essentially

helping the admissions office to understand the student’s true degree of intelligence (Ritger).

Online supplemental learning demonstrates perfect use here to help high school students groom

their knowledge and become more competitive when taking these tests. While there are

preparation courses or classroom led practice that students could sign up for, online education

offers the option for students to teach themselves exactly what they do not know so that their

intelligence can measure up to others. During a study in 2014 on Kahn Academy, researchers

found “a positive and statistically significant relationship between use of Khan Academy […]

and improved student outcomes” like “better than predicted test scores” (Murphy et al. xi).

Simply, if students want to compete with the growing competition in educational performance,

they can turn to online help. Ultimately, in the past. higher education was only necessary for

those working intellectually based jobs, and now as intelligence is emphasized more in society,

people find themselves competing to not only get a job, but also to even get into college. As
 Kelly 7

emphasis on intelligence increases, competition in the workforce and in application processes

also increases, leading to the rise in online learning as a method to attain the new expected

standard of intellect in society.

Online learning has not only become popular due to convenience and new intellectual

standards, but the modern importance of financial accessibility for all people has also influenced

the growth of online education. College tuition prices have skyrocketed in recent years with in-

state colleges costing an average of $24,610 for just one year (Clark). This average tuition price

is actually a two percent jump up from the price last year, and quadruple the average cost of in-

state colleges in 1990 (Clark). Understandably, four years of college at this rate is not realistic

for many Americans, causing people to look for other means of education—one being online

education. Online learning can cost only a fraction of on-campus education. The cost of

attending online colleges, after factoring in housing, transportation, food, and several other

expenses, could be around fifty percent less per year than on campus education (Vosganian).

This sharp decline makes online college an appealing choice as the prices of college are raised

and the public begins to look for more financially accessible education.

Not only could online education reduce the price of college, but online educational resources

could allow high school students to avoid the pricey cost of tutors or save money by evading

private schooling. If a student in struggling in any subject, he or she has the opportunity now to

look up tutorials and reliable information from credible supplementary education sites.

Specifically, SAT tutors could cost up to $1000 per hour, and while these tutors will certainly

provide help, they are not financially accessible to all (Mulhere). Online supplemental sites can

provide modules to help tutor students for free, giving those with less financial means the same

opportunity as those who are more privileged. In addition, online supplementary websites allow
 Kelly 8

for incredible amounts of information to be accessed by anyone, no matter what school, or lack

of school, he or she attends. This option begins to even the playing field, for those who live in

wealthy areas and go to well-funded public schools are somewhat on par (with regards to access

to knowledge) as those who go to poorly funded schools. This decreases the need for families to

put their children in expensive private schools or move to more expensive areas in order for their

children to get a good education. Ultimately privileged or not, the demand for intelligence has

increased, causing the prices of a good education (both on the college level and primary level) to

increase. This issue leaves most people dumfounded when it comes to becoming educated for a

reasonable price. Because the value of financial accessibility has become even greater in a

society of expensive education, it is no wonder why online schooling, at a decreased price or

free, has increased in popularity as well. Ultimately, education mimics what society values, and

in this case, that value is financial accessibility.

Societal values constantly shift from time to time throughout history. A few major shifts

include, but are not limited to, people’s increased interest in convenience, intelligence, and

financial accessibility. The new emphasis placed on these ideals has caused an increase in online

education, whether that education is degree based or serves a supplementary purpose. Online

education certainly appears to have an important role in the future as well. Convenience,

intelligence, and financial accessibility seem to be shifts that are here to stay. Unfortunately, the

lack of competition to get into online colleges makes these virtual colleges less impressive to

employers, possibly hurting the long-term development of online college as more and more

people get these degrees. A surplus of workers with online degrees decreases demand for them.

However, online education in its supplemental form could be more long-lasting. This free

education allows anyone, with the motivation to succeed, to gain knowledge. This concept
 Kelly 9

expands outside of just the United States to around the world. This new access can allow the

brightest of the bright to come forward and demonstrate their drive and intellectual ability

despite their origins. Previously, the public school that a person is assigned to, or even lack of

school at all, restrained the student to a specific caliber of education. Now all student can achieve

any knowledge as long as they care enough, creating a new dynamic in society as a whole: those

who want to succeed finally can without restriction.

 Kelly 10

Works Cited

“Charts by Topic: Students.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,

20 Dec. 2016, https://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/students.htm.

Clark, Kim. “College Costs Hit Record High in 2016.” Time. Time, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Oct.

2017, http://time.com/money/4543839/college-costs-record-2016/.

Clinefelter, David L., and Carol B. Aslanian. Online College Students 2014: Comprehensive

Data on Demands and Preferences. Louisville, KY: The Learning House Inc., June 2014.

PDF, https://www.learninghouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2014-Online-College-

Students-Final.pdf.

Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexa. “No College Degree? That’s a Growing Hurdle to Getting Hired.” Chicago

Tribune. Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2017,

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-employers-raise-education-requirements-0320-

biz-20160318-story.html.

“Fast Facts—Highest Enrollment.” National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S.

Department of Education, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=74.

"Fast Facts—Enrollment." National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a Part

of the U.S. Department of Education. U.S. Department of Education, 2015. Web. 31 Oct.

2017. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=98.

Hsleh, Steven. “14 Disturbing Stats About Racial Inequality in American Public Schools.” The

Nation. The Nation, 29 June 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2017. https://www.thenation.com/article/14-

disturbing-stats-about-racial-inequality-american-public-schools/.

“Internet Used by 3.2 Billion People in 2015.” BBC News, BBC, 26 May 2015,

www.bbc.com/news/technology-32884867.
 Kelly 11

Keegan, Desmond J. “On Defining Distance Education.” Taylor & Francis Online, 28 July 2006,

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0158791800010102.

Miller, Georgie. "History of Distance Learning." WorldWideLearn. WorldWidesLearn, 10 Nov.

2014. Web. 06 Nov. 2017. <https://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/history-of-

distance-learning.html>.

Mulhere, Kaitlin. “Don’t Pay for an Expensive SAT Tutor.” Time. Time, 08 Jan. 2016. Web 24

Oct. 2017, http://time.com/money/collection-post/4172852/sat-tutor-worth-the-money/.

“Online Report Card.” OCL, Online Learning Consortium,

https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/read/online-report-card-tracking-online-education-

united-states-2015/.

Murphy, Robert, Larry Gallagher, Andrew Krumm, Jessica Mislevy, and Amy Hafter. Research

of the Use of Kahn Academy in Schools. Menlo Park, CA: SRI Education, Mar. 2014. PDF.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/KA-share/impact/khan-academy-implementation-report-2014-04-

15.pdf.

Ritger, Clara. “How Important Is the SAT? Admissions Officers Weigh in.” USA Today. Gannett

Satellite Information Network, 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2017,

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/28/admissions-officers-weigh-in-on-

sat/2027843/.

Schrobsdorff, Susanna. “Teen Depression on the Rises Says New Pediatric Study.” Time. Time, 15

Nov. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2017, http://time.com/4572593/increase-depression-teens-teenage-

mental-health/.
 Kelly 12

Vosganian, Ed. “The Real Price of Online College.” Affordable Colleges Online. Affordable

Colleges Online (ASO), n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2017,

https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/financial-aid/online-college-degree-cost/.