Mixed grades for online ed

Students who choose to take online courses at Chico State are in luck when it comes to the quality of their teachers, but might be at a disadvantage when it comes to engagement and technology, according to a recent assessment by U.S. News & World Report.

The magazine decided to take a look at online education because of its increasing popularity. In 2010, more than 6.1 million students took online courses, it reports. At Chico State, total online enrollment is 637.

The magazine rated the faculty for Chico State’s online education 14th out of 55 in terms of credentials and training. The program ranked 156th out of 172 for student engagement, however, criteria for which include instructor response time, office hours and maximum class size. And it ranked 149th out of 179 for student services and technology, which weighed availability of career-placement help (yes), live tutoring (no), smartphone apps (no) and live-streaming video (yes).

See the whole report here.