MINI FEATURE ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Four Forces Positively Impacting Cost of Higher
Education for Adults
By Ian Tebbett
President and Chief Executive
Officer, ADEC
Welcome to the next digital decade
and the structural transformation of
the education industry. Everywhere
you turn, transformative trends are
shifting the core mission of universities. These fundamental forces
are altering the way students, faculty, curriculum and technologies
interact and the financial models
that drive them.
My association, the American
Distance Education Consortium
(ADEC), is a network for engaged
educational universities and colleges to collaborate in discovering
and sharing best practices in online
education. We are confronting the
PHOTO BY WAVEBREAKMEDIA
critical challenges in online education, including how best to bring Higher education institutions can significantly reduce costs for students,
education to adult learners in the both domestically and internationally, by exploring online learning opmost cost effective way, and have
determined four major forces shap- portunities.
ing the next decade’s cost models.
technologies as well as essential methods provides a cost advan1. Growing demand for online edu- new teaching modalities.
tage to adult learners
cation drives economies of scale
The combined effect of these ser- The knowledge-based job market
For years, individuals and institu- vices and technologies has resulted has accelerated innovation in evtions have been looking for ways to in valuable and affordable, tailored ery field requiring professionals to
earn high-quality degrees through degree completion including mas- retool, often several times in a cafirst-rate learning opportunities at ter’s programs and PhDs. As online reer. Adult learners are searching
a low cost. ADEC has been a pow- demand continues to grow, so too for new ways to balance continuerhouse in building the demand for will the economies of scale. Innova- ing education with their jobs and
online education, driving thought tion in offerings and technology will personal lives, and online learning
leadership with major universities benefit all adult learners, providing is a cost-effective alternative to onacross the country as well as sup- them with more options in every campus master’s and bachelor deporting and developing education price range.
gree completion from the nation’s
in instructional design, learning
land-grant universities, community
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management systems, enabling 2. Individualizing online learning
Article originally posted on The EvoLLLution at http://www.evolllution.com/distance_online_learning/forcespositively-impacting-cost-higher-education-adults/
Four Forces Positively Impacting Cost of Higher
Education for Adults
ence program, a U.S.-based student
interested in forensic death invescolleges and other highly engaged tigation can take highly tailored
universities.
courses offered by the University of
Edinburgh combined with courses
For example, the University of offered by the University of FlorFlorida’s forensic science program, ida. This arrangement allows the
launched in 1999, is now the largest student, at the same reasonable
forensic science master’s degree tuition rate, access and instruction
program in the world. This program from the best in the world, no mathas given forensic scientists the ter where the professor is located.
flexibility to access superior education and dramatically reduce the 4. Globalizing online reach procost of higher education by remov- vides economic benefits for both
ing the need for these professionals universities and students
to make tough choices, such as resigning from full-time employment Through its multiple global partnerand relocating their families to pur- ships, ADEC has enabled ubiquitous
sue on-campus education.
access to higher education for qualified students around the globe.
In many cases, the opportunity cost Through the ADEC-supported
of quitting their CSI jobs and relo- model, students from 42 different
cating to Gainesville, FL to earn countries have been able to earn a
their master’s degree in a tradi- master’s degree in forensic science
tional environment would have far from the University of Florida for
exceeded the tuition of the edu- less than $17,000 (total).
cation. This opportunity cost has
been completely eliminated with International students no longer
the advent of online and blended have to spend large amounts of
learning.
money and time on immigration,
travel and relocation to the United
3. Accelerating collaboration and States to earn a master’s degree or
sharing coursework reduces course PhD. Online curriculum with global
development and teaching costs reach eliminates these expenses.
while increasing specialty options What was once unaffordable for
international students and a logistiThe ADEC model has enabled like- cal admissions challenge for instituminded educational institutions to tions will disappear before the end
offer students the ability to take of the digital decade.
specialty online courses that build
on the particular expertise of one
institution. This cross-acceptance
of credits has reduced course development and teaching costs. Better yet, students have a wider set of
specialty options, which ultimately
drives higher enrollments.
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AUTHOR PROFILE
Current Position and Past Experience
Since 2013, Ian Tebbett has served as
the President and Chief Executive Officer
of the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC). Dr. Tebbett is also the
director of the UF Forensic Sciences and
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Programs and
a professor in the University of Florida
colleges of Pharmacy and Veterinary
Medicine. He previously held faculty
positions with the Forensic Science programs at the University of Strathclyde,
Scotland and the University of Illinois at
Chicago (1988-92).
Education, Honors and Achievements
Tebbett earned his Bachelor of Pharmacy from London University and his PhD
from Strathclyde University.
In 2011, Tebbett earned ADEC’s Irving
Award.
Continuing with the example of
University of Florida’s forensic sciArticle originally posted on The EvoLLLution at http://www.evolllution.com/distance_online_learning/forcespositively-impacting-cost-higher-education-adults/