Is Online Pedigree an Oxymoron?

The educational revolution is underway and the catalyst is the internet. One issue that’s going to be the subject of ongoing debate is whether online learning can be associated with other than a second rate education? Search “learn XYZ online” and you’ll be bombarded with a broad variety of sponsored ads that offer anything from “MBA Fast” to a certificate in fields from Architecture to X-Ray Technician. The late comers to online schools are the well-heeled academia. They argue that human interaction is critical to accelerated learning and believe certain teachers (and pedagogical approaches) are better than others (especially those on their payroll). One must ask whether they aren’t also concerned that if they open up the flood gates to the world’s best professors, they will find it difficult to preserve their elite status. What’s the value of a luxury brand if it’s access to anyone? Won’t that lower the “perception” of quality and hence the demand? For the sake of what’s best for humanity, I certainly hope not.

John Katzman, founder of the Princeton Review, believes even some of the holdouts are about to jump into online education with both feet. His goal is to show that top educational institutions can increase their breadth and depth online, initially in what may be the most critical arena, teacher education. Presumably they have little choice as the growth to education is coming from online and abroad. 2Tor intends to provide both the technological platform and the services so that programs that are now highly selective can scale more effectively to meet the growing demand for these brand names. Katzman will invest $15 million from his own funds and from private investors.

Most of the growth and innovation in this space has been relegated to large for-profit providers (e.g., the University of Phoenix), niche for-profit institutions (e.g., Capella) and non-profit institutions (e.g., the Maryland University College). Katzman’s clearly betting that a core part of the value of an education is the brand and is confident that his company, 2Tor.com, will become the