Does Canyon College Online Degree Problems Raise Questions About Some Homeschool Programs, Too?

When Canyon College was recently the subject of reports indicating that students may have paid for online courses that may not have resulted in valid degrees, I couldn't help but take note. Why? Because I'd been researching online degree programs myself, as a possible supplement or complete replacement to traditional schools. I'd been looking into homeschool and online degree programs for high school and college for one of my sons. Even with all the unfortunate news about Canyon College, I have not given up on alternate forms of education but I do think there are some valuable lessons to be learned here, especially in back to school season.

The information about Canyon college and a woman named Janet Kiilen, a person who was reported to have spent $5,500 and four years of her time on a master's degree, an article read here: www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405786,00.html raised some concerns for me. Perhaps such information does the same for you. If so, here is what you may want to know about online college degrees and programs. I'll also share what I've learned and experienced, information that may be particularly helpful for those whose students are going back to school and want to know about alternative education and online degree programs.

Why did Canyon College get so much attention?

According to the news story noted above and others with the same information, Canyon College is alleged to have potentially taken as much as thousands of dollars worth of money from at least 4,000 students. Then the students were sometimes told they could face criminal charges for trying to use these so-called degrees as legitimate ones! Imagine spending thousands of dollars, plus your time and effort, only to be told your degree was essentially worthless when it came to being a legitimate degree. To add insult to injury, what is you were told you could face criminal charges for even trying to use it as part of your resume'? Huh?!

Part of the problem comes from the fact that Canyon College used an address that ended in .edu. A family member teaches at an accredited university and also has an email address that ends in .edu. It is used by him and many other people who are accredited teachers at noted universities, ones where students get valid college degrees and often find excellent jobs afterwards. The university also has to face a rigorous accreditation process on a regular basis. Perhaps many students at Canyon College assumed that the .edu address meant that they were an accredited university which strongly boosted their chances of getting a job Why else would anyone spend thousands of dollars on one of these programs? . Even now, you can see it attached to information about them located here; www.canyoncollege.edu/degree.htm

How to choose valid or accredited online colleges and homeschooling programs for elementary and high school students

While I'm not a huge fan of online programs, I do understand their benefits and at least one relative has used a program to great advantage when supplementing a son's traditional school experience. That one is being used to help get a high school degree and is the same program we've considered, an online high school program known as K12 and located here: www.k12.com/ That program was able to help my relative's son learn at his own pace while meeting the certification requirements of his state (California). After exploring that program, I think that there are many online high school and college degree programs which can indeed provide valid certifications for students.

Unfortunately, Canyon College doesn't appear to be one of them. To see lists of top online colleges and universities, you can look at many sites. I would recommend the K12 program primarily based on my personal experience talking to representatives on the phone, having my son test the curriculum and the fact that they meet or exceed the state requirements for my state (Indiana) as well as many other states. They also have charter schools as well as online options.

Another site which lists top online colleges and universities can be seen here: www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,407301,00.html and, as with any educational programs, I would strongly suggest that parents, teachers and students research any online college or university degrees and options.

Basic questions worth asking about Canyon College or other online degree programs for homeschool or college students

While not comprehensive, my own research and experience as a parent of a potential future online college student has taught me that there is no substitute for personal research. At the very least, parents and students should ask about a school's track record, graduation rate and percentage of students who either go on to college or graduate and get the types of jobs they were promised - or led to believe they could get. After all, an investment of thousands of dollars ought to provide some benefit for all those years of work, whether it is at an online school or a traditional school that requires attendance in a classroom situated on a college campus.

I'd ask: How many students graduate from this school? Do you offer cyberchats or real time classes and tutoring online? What help is available to students as they complete their homework? Which educational organizations accredit the school? What percentage of students get jobs if they successfully complete the online degree program - and in what fields? I'd also ask to speak with current students as well as those who had graduated, assuming that a good school would maintain such a list.

Pros and cons of online learning

Having used online programs with my own son, some of them offered freely through the public school system and others used with tutors or in other ways online, there have been strong benefits to being able to have my son learn at his own pace outside the classroom. One teacher actually had his science classes in a Power Point display and that was a huge benefit when it came time to study for the test. I know firsthand that certain types of online learning can produce solid and real benefits for students. However, this was supplemented by a traditional classroom setting.

I've also known other people who've used homeschool programs to teach their children and my relative's child took time out from school to use the K12 program. It was a great asset to him. Although he is now back in a traditional school, he was tested regularly and had excellent help as he progressed in his education outside the traditional school system.

Of course, as the Canyon College situation reveals, some people can also end up spending thousands of dollars and end up feeling taken for every cent. Under Idaho laws, Canyon College allegedly was not accredited by the U.S Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Parents and teachers of home school students - or students taking online courses for college or high school - should investigate what types of accreditation an online school possesses. That would be one of the earliest steps I'd take during the back to school season - or any time of year.