Scientific Merit Review Rewrite
Online education is a method of learning that has increased in popularity over the last couple of years. The reason behind its popularity is because the students that participate in it have a wide range of opportunities to engage in other activities while they are not studying. These activities are like work and take care of families for the ones who have them. The corporate sector is however finding it hard to employ online graduates as compared to the traditional college and university graduates.
The results of studies carried out can be attributed to research on 101 different employers in the United States. When asked whom between the online graduates and the traditional graduates they would be most willing to offer jobs, 55% opted for the traditional employees in spite of the fact that 44% asked responded that they would give equal job opportunities, (Carnevale, 2007). The study was carried out over a wide range of employers in different fields of the business sector so as to diversify and spread the range of answers. Though 44% opted for both types of employees; there was a considerable interest that they seemed to give to the traditional graduates, (Nance, 2007)
Despite the study results, the academy does not take up the issue in a similar manner. In one of the studies carried out entitled, The Acceptability of a Doctoral Degree Earned Online as a Credential for Obtaining a Faculty Position, the people that were present were asked to propose either a person with a traditional degree or one with an online degree. 98% of respondents chose the ones with traditional qualifications, (Adams & DeFleur, 2005). This was citing the factor of the quality of education presented to the traditional student being higher.
Most of the studies carried out were meant to try and gain a scope of as to where the Human Resource managers stand as per the requirements and terms of employment. It was also necessary so as to prepare the graduates on what to face in the advanced study environment. Moreover, it was carried out in an attempt to figure out the best quality education. It is perceived that online students are those that acquire 80% of their learning experience through the internet while traditional students acquire their education from qualified learning institutions. Only 30% of the traditional learner’s information comes from the internet, (Brown, 1995).
The implications for this study are that the online students are in a less favorable opportunity to get a job position as compared to the traditional students. This can be attributed to the fact that traditional learners have adequate and unlimited supply to quality educational material and hence considered better. To assist the Human Resource representatives, it is advisable for them to consider the situations that their potential employees are in. Some may be in a state that they have children to take care of or have part time jobs. It would only be fair to offer such people employment opportunities as long as they have the required educational requirements despite their mode of learning, (Folkers, 2005).
For the online students, they should ensure that they work exceedingly well so as to acquire the requirements of the increasingly competitive corporate sector. With exceptional performance, the Human Resource managers are bound to weigh their decisions as to whom to choose for their job positions. Online schools should also work hard to increase their qualities of education and performance. With above average performance, the online schools are bound to gain credibility and fame in the business sector, a factor that will lead to reduced preference for the traditional graduates but rather have equal opportunities.
Resources
Carnevale, D. (2007). Employers Often Distrust Online Degree [Electronic Version]. The Chronicles of Higher Education, 53(18), p.A28.
Adams, J., & DeFleur, M.H. (2005). The Acceptability of a Doctoral Degree Earned Online as a Credential for Obtaining Employment. American Journal of Distance Education, 19(2), 71-85.
Folkers, D.A. (2005). Competing in the Marketplace: Incorporating Online Education into Higher Education- An Organizational Perspective. Information Resources Management Journal, 18(1), 61-77.
Brown, D.K. (1995). Degrees of Control: A Sociological outlook of Educational Expansion and Occupational Credentialism. New York: Teachers College Press.
