State officials push for increase in Florida university online classes

The Florida Board of Governors hopes that by the year 2025, 40 percent of undergraduate credits will be completed online.

At a Monday meeting, the board met with Florida university representatives to discuss the future of online learning. For UF, the goal of having 40 percent of credit hours completed online would mean increasing the number of online classes by 5 percent each year.

Andrew McCollough, the UF assistant provost, said that in the 2015-2016 school year, about 29 percent of undergraduate credits were completed online.

“It has been growing organically,” he said. “I would not be surprised to see us close to 40 percent by 2025.”

He said prerequisite or pre-professional courses can be completed in an online or hybrid setting. Hybrid courses are taken half online, half in person.

“We try to measure success in the amount of learning that takes place,” he said.

UF currently offers 17 online degree programs, with five to six added each year, he said.

John David Gaines, 21, a UF online student, said taking online-only courses has both pros and cons.

“I think it’s more difficult just because there’s no one to hold you accountable for watching lectures,” the UF business senior said, but for the most part, he enjoys it.

He said he dreads group projects, which are even more difficult to complete in an online setting.

He said although it takes more effort to manage his schedule, the flexibility has opened up time for other things.

Over Summer, Gaines enrolled in his usual online classes while also working a part-time job and spending time with his family.

“I’m enjoying it,” he said. “I’m not ready to be in the real world yet.”