Future's so bright I gotta wear shades

Distance education is currently in a state of major growth. Venture capitalists have pegged online learning as the next gold rush and expect the phones to start ringing with businessmen wanting to sell you everything they can. I gathered some thoughts on the future and sharing some items that attention should be brought towards. 

keep digging john, there is some online education in there somewhere

Regulations

Accreditation and program approval will be based more on educational outcomes. Some predictions that by 2025, there will not be one national accreditation system, although the U.S. Department of Education will provide a basic safety net for quality.

Distance educators must plan to accommodate this emphasis on accountability if they are to maintain accreditation and meet consumer demands.

now i have this song stuck in my head ....

Technological devices are becoming more versatile and ubiquitous

One of the most apparent trends affecting distance education is the advancement of technology.

Infrastructures are growing stronger as computers double in speed while decreasing in cost, and high-speed network connections continue to expand.

New technology will transform higher education as we know it today, one example being the changes caused by broader use of e-readers and smart phones.

and they all make phone calls!

Technological fluency becoming a graduation requirement

The networked world is dominating the economy, increasing the power of the individual, and changing business models, no one can afford to be without computer competence!!

Higher education is beginning to list the fluent use of technology as an outcome skill.

some good thoughts on learning

Lifelong learning is becoming a competitive necessity.

Alvin Toffler wrote, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who can’t read and write. They will be those who can’t learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

How well can higher education respond?

some good parting thoughts here