The virtual revolution: implications for academe

The global expansion and acceptance of the Internet as been unprecedented. The emergence of the potential for distance learning (DL) has altered the way in which faculty, university administrators, and for-profit corporations view the educational process. In 1998, nearly 80% of public 4-yr institutions offered some DL courses. However, DL courses in agriculture and natural resources represented less than 1% of the total enrollment. Like any technology that ushers in a new era of change, DL has attracted enthusiastic supporters and detractors. Few view DL with neutrality. It is this divergence of opinion that has fueled the debate over the academic value of DL. A valid evaluation of the educational benefits or deficiencies of DL may require additional long-term studies. For some academic traditionalists, DL is viewed as the fusion of education and commerce and borders on the repugnant. Others embrace DL not only because it may provide a source of much needed revenue, but also because it allows for the low-cost delivery of information to a nontraditional pool of students. Well-funded, private, for-profit organizations and universities have developed a number of DL models. Some hybrid DL models exist in which public institutions have created independent for-profit corporations to develop and distribute their web-based courses. The question is not if DL will be a part of the educational landscape; it surely will. The challenge is to define the role DL can most effectively fulfill.