Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Alex SlobodkinWestern Governors University, a non-profit online college, is now reporting enrollment of over 10,000 students. This sometimes controversial school allows students to prove their knowledge through writing assignments and exams. Deseret News reports: “Western Governors University, which was founded just over 10 years ago, has reached enrollment of 10,000 students. [...]

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Jakub SemeniukA new federal grant is making it possible for native Hawaiian students to receive free laptops. Here's Molokai Times has to say about the program: “The Maui Community College Molokai Education Center is offering Native Hawaiian residents of Molokai the opportunity to qualify for a free laptop. This effort is [...]

© jadell UMass Online is reporting record enrollments and revenue from its virtual programs. The Boston Globe explains: “Matching last year's results, which were the best in three years, fiscal year 2008 at UMassOnline saw a 26.2% increase in enrollments, to 33,900 over 26,855 in fiscal year 2007, and a 31.9% increase in revenue to [...]

© Wrote A growing number of high school students are taking online college classes to test the waters and earn university-level credit. RedOrbit reports: “…About a dozen PVHS students, and about 150 juniors and seniors from 90 of the state's 140 high schools…take UMaine college courses via the Internet each semester, said Jim Patterson, coordinator [...]

The New York Times has launched a new educational website, called Epsilen, designed to help instructors build course content and help students connect with their classmates. Inside Higher Ed reports: “Epsilen allows students and faculty members to create their own profiles – a free service for those with.edu e-mail addresses – which can contain resumes, [...]

Over the past few years, there has been a huge push towards making educational information freely available online. In most cases, the results have been extremely advantageous for online learners who do not always have access to university-level libraries. Now, some professors are advocating to make academic journals publicly available. In a nutshell: university faculty [...]

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) recently signed an agreement with the Chinese government to make its online classes available online. Their recent press release reports: “Under the agreement, signed in Beijing, officials from UMass and from China's Continuing Education Association (CCEA) and the CerEdu Corporation will work together to make UMassOnline, the University's award-winning distance [...]

This week Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger issued a statement urging philanthropists to support the creation of free online textbooks. Wired Campus reports: “This week Mr. Sanger posted a public appeal to philanthropists in the form of an online petition, outlining his vision of a world where textbooks cost children nothing. He's asking other Internet users [...]

Digital-Vending Services recently filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against the University of Phoenix, Walden University, and the Capella Education Company. The lawsuit charges that these online colleges are using patented online course delivery structures. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports: “Digital-Vending Services, based in Washington, accuses the online institutions of inflicting “irreparable harm” on its business. [...]

Colorado State University is planning a new online college aimed at helping non-traditional students and college drop outs complete their degrees. The Denver Post reports: “CSU president Larry Penley said he envisions the online school reaching those people who have been working or raising families and can't easily attend a traditional college. “The rates for [...]