Minnesota state universities continue to expand online education
The University of Minnesota and many other Minnesota state colleges have seen double digit increases in the percentage of students taking online courses over the past few years, according to Minnesota Public Radio.
The state has also experienced a significant rise in the number of colleges that are offering hybrid or blended classes, which are courses that split time evenly between traditional classroom learning and online education.
"I honestly think we will see that blended design staying around. It’s shown for [our school] that it’s quite effective," said Rebecca Hopkins, dean of the Graduate School of Education at St. Mary’s University, quoted by the news source.
Leslie Mercer, associate vice chancellor at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU), believes that the transition was made possible by the nationwide acceptance of online learning.
"I think [online education] is becoming more widely known [and] I think students are more comfortable with it than they used to be," Mercer said. "And faculty are more comfortable as well."
Hybrid classes allow students who work from home to earn their degree while having intermittent face time with professors and other students. Nearly one in four students take at least some college courses online, up from one in 10 in 2002, Reuters reports.
