Notes in the Margins: Elite culture, easy classes and online quality

Findings give boost to online classes The burgeoning movement to put more college classes online, which attracted the support of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earlier this month, is getting another endorsement that may have an even greater impact: rigorous evidence that the computer can be as effective as the classroom. (The Boston Globe)

The Elite Culture That's to Blame for the College Cost Crisis  The culture of education that has captured our colleges and universities is one that thinks of a campus as being better the more that it’s all things to all people. The value placed on diversity, the huge growth of college administration, the endless fundraising and expansion of centers and amenities — it’s all of a piece. (Forbes via University Business)

Five proposals to solve $1 trillion college loan crisis With student debt threatening to hobble the recovery, a look at proposals to address the crisis, and the likelihood they'll go anywhere. (USA Today)

Is college too easy? As study time falls, debate rises. Over the past half-century, the amount of time college students actually study — read, write and otherwise prepare for class — has dwindled from 24 hours a week to about 15, survey data show. And that invites a question: Has college become too easy? (The Washington Post)

Full Disclosure for Student Borrowers For too many students, a college education that is supposed to create opportunities can also mean years of struggle to pay off tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Schools must be required to do more to educate students about the real cost of their education and about a complex borrowing process that even the most sophisticated people have trouble understanding. (International Herald Tribune via NAICU)

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