New Report by North Dakota University System Highlights Distance Education Facets

A recent North Dakota University System report noted two particular facets of distance education in the state.

The report, which is available here  supports IPEDS reported data that indicates that North Dakota has a lower-than-average rate of students who are attending college only through online means, yet the state has a higher-than-average rate of students who are currently taking at least one course online.

According to Chancellor Mark Hagerott, that signified that students enrolled in the public system aren’t averse to online courses, yet prefer the in-class instruction offered by traditional classrooms.

“Students today grew up connected to a digital world, so feel comfortable in that realm,” Hagerott said. “However, a majority of our students still prefer to attend class with their peers. What that means for our university system is that we will continue to focus on providing opportunities for student success in the traditional classroom even as we look to see if there’s room to increase an online presence.”

Additionally, the report showed that a majority of students who attended online-only resided in the same county as the school they were taking courses from. For instance, most online-only students taking courses from Bismarck State College reside in Burleigh and Morton counties, and most taking online courses from North Dakota State University reside in Cass County.