Online universities are indeed among the later developments in educational technology. The very channel that makes this type of learning possible is a new invention in itself. It was three centuries in the past that we saw the concept that would eventually lead to these, though.
Although the technology is somewhat recent, the concept of learning in an informal environment, without the need for the educator and student to be in the same room, is centuries old. This started distance learning, as seen in the first mail-mediating learning program for shorthand writers. His lessons were sent through the postal system weekly for aspiring students.
Perhaps among the more forward-looking institutions back then was the University of London, which was why it was so quick to get on board the distance learning boat: in fact, it was among the formal pioneers of it. Mailing lessons and quizzes was tried out first across the Atlantic by the University of Chicago. Distance learning was then introduced to Australian shores.
There were some changes in the way the education was provided to distance learners when people invented things like TV. Soon, more universities got on the bandwagon for this kind of education. And then, just some time ago, accreditations started to be handed out to Internet universities, starting with Jones International.
The very first of the major universities to create a masters school for business in particular was Dartmouth, though. The graduate program was not an MBA then but an MSC, SC standing for Science in Commerce. Soon after, Harvard was already offering MBA classes for just under a hundred starting pupils.
Initially, there was some criticism regarding the curriculum and relevance of the materials in the courses. There were many who argued too that the masters in business was of little usage to practicing businessmen. It was continuously assumed at the time that educators and students of graduate programs were always lacking in quality.
To fight the negative opinions, there were major revamps and improvements to the curriculum. MBAs were suddenly courses amenable to the adoption of a focus of study. The training was thus sharpened and enhanced for maximum effect.
Still, there was always something to be nitpicked: in this case, it was that the changes had rendered the training too focused on the theory and not enough on the practice. There were allegations of graduates being so theoretically-inclined that they had trouble with the less-than-predictable real world. Because some courses were taught by purely "theoretical business experts", there was further flak thrown at the programs.
Companies slowed down in their hiring of masters of business administration degree-holders. However, it was evident that changes in the program were necessary. This is why the MBA of today is largely different from that of the past.
Education needs to reflect what people have learned and are learning in commerce each day, hence the need for such mutations in the academe. Even now,
online universities as well as offline ones are making new modifications to the MBA programs they offer. It is crucial to enter a university that actually cares about what the real business world demands of graduates.
