Bisk Education’s University Alliance Online Learning Programs Substantiate U.S. Department of Education Findings

Analysis reveals online learning at the post-secondary level is more effective than conventional face-to-face instruction

TAMPA, Fla., July 6, 2009 – Online learning in the higher education sector reached another milestone on June 26, when the U.S. Department of Education released its analysis of controlled studies comparing online and face-to-face instruction.

The meta-analysis of 51 studies – 44 of which were drawn from research with post-secondary learners – showed that, on average, students who took all or part of their classes online had superior learning outcomes and performed better than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.

“These recent findings echo the positive feedback we continually receive from students participating in our online degree programs and online certificate programs,” said Adrian Marrullier, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of University Alliance, a worldwide leader in professional development programs providing unprecedented access to the nation’s top universities.

“We’re proud of our graduate’s success stories and career achievements regarding their online learning experiences, all of which corroborate the study’s conclusions,” said Marrullier.

The Department of Education’s report cited online learning as one of the fastest growing trends in educational uses of technology, attributing its popularity to its ability to provide “flexible access to content and instruction at any time, from any place.”

That comes as no surprise to Marrullier, who noted, “It has been University Alliance’s long-standing mission to deliver ‘anytime training’ and ‘anywhere knowledge’ to adult learners across the country and around the globe. We’re committed to empowering professionals to attain a quality education from a prestigious university, no matter what their schedule or where they live.”

The literature research is intended to provide policy-makers, administrators and educators with research-based guidance on how to implement online learning for K–12 education. However, the Department of Education’s findings illustrated the majority of studies focused on online learning in career technical education, medical and higher education, plus corporate and military training.

The study was conducted by the Center for Technology and Learning, SRI International under contract to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Policy and Program Studies Service, which commissioned the study.

The full report can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html#edtech.

About University Alliance Online
The University Alliance (UA) facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as professional certificate programs from the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Powered by UA’s technology and support services, our university partners have surpassed 300,000 online enrollments — making UA the largest facilitator of e-learning in the country. University Alliance partners include Villanova University, the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of San Francisco, Florida Institute of Technology, The University of Scranton, Dominican University and Jacksonville University.

Contact Information
Sandy Levine, VP of Marketing Services
Bisk Education/University Alliance Online