I am someone who has been lucky enough to have done University both from a distance perspective, and living on-campus while attending classroom based courses. I originally chose an on-line MBA program to pursue because I travelled extensively for work – it allowed me the flexibility I needed to juggle the work and grad school experience.
What I noticed was that the institution I was attending (University of Phoenix) was set-up to really leverage the functionality of the on-line learning environment. It was definitely structured to maximize the features an on-line venue offered such as class discussion rooms, virtual libraries, group working environment, etc. And, while this was not its expressed goal, it was a greener way to attend school. I no longer was driving to class (in my case, it is over 110 km round trip to the nearest University), which was the biggest environmental impact from my perspective. In addition, a lot of information formerly handed out physically in class was posted in electronic format and as long as the material is not being printed at your own end, this also saves on paper and printer toner.
I still believe there is a place for “bricks and mortar” education, but now that I am pursuing my green-focused graduate degree (Environmental Management), I do perceive the environmental benefits of online programs much more than ever.
What are YOUR thoughts and/or experience?
