Assessing Students for Online Learning

Distance education has dramatically increased the educational opportunities for underserved populations. This is evidenced by the fairly recent proliferation and success of online universities, and it is happening in spite of criticism of e-learning and online degree programs among academia and the popular press. As a result, many institutions, including traditional and respected universities across the country – who were once among the harshest critics – are now offering distance education courses. However, not all students who wish to enroll in online courses are ready or prepared to be successful completing online coursework. Research suggests that at least half of all students enrolled in online courses are not course completers. Obviously, increasing the percentage of program completers in the distance learning environment is essential. This article details a proven and comprehensive system to achieve this objective, using the authors’ experiences at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Indiana, as a framework.