Bill Gates: Online learning will be more important than traditional schools in 5 years

The name Gates is synonymous with the technology revolution. Today, it's at the forefront of another revolution—education. In addition to helping more college students graduate, Bill Gates is predicting that in the near future the web will be the place to learn.
“It will be better than any single university,” he stated at the Techonomy Conference, a four-day event examining the link between technology and the economy. Gates believes that “place-based” education will be less important going forward because of the logistics and expense of attending traditional universities.

However, one question persists about online learning—does the quality of its education match the quality of traditional “place-based” schools? According to a recent article in Inside Higher Ed, the concerns about online education's quality are unfounded (Wojciechowska, 2010). The article reported on a study conducted by the Education Department which concluded that online schools are just as effective at teaching students as traditional schools where students interact face-to-face with instructors.
If Bill Gates is right, then online learning will be the way to get a quality education in the future.

Making education accessible

Since retiring from the day-to-day management of Microsoft in June 2008, Gates and his wife Melinda have taken on a big challenge—improving life in the United States and the world through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The foundation's focus is on three areas: global health, global development and development in the United States. In line with its motto, “All Lives Have Equal Value,” the organization's focus is on providing underprivileged individuals with the means to pursue better lives.
On Oct. 4, 2010, the foundation issued a press release announcing its newest program, “Completion by Design,” a $35 million program offering grants for community colleges. To be eligible for a grant, colleges must implement programs that address students' needs and help increase graduation rates. “Most students today who are pursuing an education beyond high school are also balancing the demands of work and family,” Melinda Gates said. “Yet colleges haven't adapted to this new reality” (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2010).
When it comes to addressing working students' needs, online institutions appear to be ahead of the game, with 4.6 million students taking at least one online course during the fall 2008 term, which is nearly a 17% increase over the previous year (Allen & Seaman, 2010). The flexibility of online learning allows students to meet work and family responsibilities. Today, online learning is clearly gaining acceptance since University of Phoenix introduced the concept in 1990.

Providing guidance from the start

Another important aspect of student retention may be providing advice and support to students throughout their college career. According to Hilary Pennington, the Gates Foundation director of education, colleges must change the way they communicate with students.
“Completion by Design aims to get community colleges to restructure how they interact with the majority of their students from the moment they enter the college to the time they graduate to provide them the quickest, straightest path to a degree,” Pennington said. “When that happens, more students finish with a degree, certificate or credential in hand” (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2010).

Higher learning is critical

According to the Gates Foundation, college completion is critical. In its press release, the foundation cites a report by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce which predicts that by 2018, 63% of jobs will require some level of college education. According to graduation statistics, there won't be enough educated workers to meet this need.
Community colleges currently serve 11 million students. According to the foundation, too many do not finish—stating that just 22% of first-time, full-time students in community college graduate within three years. At this rate of graduation, there will be a shortfall of 3 million educated individuals to fill future jobs. That's why it's critical to make a change now.
The Gates Foundation plans on tracking the initiatives of the community colleges awarded Completion by Design grants, and duplicate the programs that have the greatest success.

Online learning going mainstream

With a call for higher graduation rates, online learning will need to be even more accessible as American colleges address the barriers to graduation that confront today's working student. As Completion by Design begins duplicating the best learning innovations by community colleges, online learning may be a key in expanding access to education and will help boost graduation rates.
Bill Gates was right about the technology revolution—let's hope he's right about education, too. We may be on the brink of making education more readily accessible to students to fill future workforce needs and help us, as a nation, compete globally. It's time to unleash the transforming power of education through the Internet and better more lives.