2005

Online learning is one important tool to help instructors accomplish their goals of developing skills and knowledge, and promoting both an independent and creative thinking student. Online learning has been impacted in recent years by advancements of technology that permit learning to occur without the boundaries of time or geographic location. The number of online participants has increased significantly over the past 10 years. Drake (2000) stated that the number of students taking classes online will triple to 2.2 million by the year 2002. Four-year colleges offering online programs will increase to 8% by the same year. More and more learners are exclusively utilizing online education. There are parameters to online instruction. For example, in order to be successful in online programs, motivation and abstract thought are key variables which students should possess (Carter, 2001; Sankaran & Bui, 2001). Research has indicated that online learning gives a unique opportunity to those persons who are interested in further education but cannot attend a residential college because of personal circumstances or work-related obligations (Bruce, 1999). Instructors require a technical support system and training in order to be effective as online educators (Seaman, 2002). This is further supported by the fact that the number of students taking online classes will quadruple to 5.5 million by the year 2004.