Distance Learning Brings Education To Those Under-Represented In College

A Wisconsin college is allowing Native Americans the opportunity to take free college courses. The no change college classes they take must be online college offerings. The Native Americans must be members of what's known as the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly.

A Milwaukee-based university online has formed an agreement with the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly where those who decide to enroll after completing their free classes are able to receive scholarships throughout the time that they study with the institution. The course offerings that fit this classification for Tribal Education members began with the fall 2010 semester, according to an announcement from that online university.

"Distance learning is going to be an important part of the equation for educating tribal members of the future," according to what that distance university president had to say as quoted from the partnership announcement. The membership-based Tribal Education Departments of American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes is a non-profit organization. It was established in 2005 with support from the Native American Rights Fund and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Indian Education, according to the online institution's announcement.

Native Americans also receive educational assistance from the American Indian College Fund, which provides scholarships for mainstream and tribal colleges and universities. Students at tribal colleges and universities study mainstream subjects as well as Native American culture, according to the Tribal College Fund. There are more than 30 tribal colleges and universities throughout the country, and many of them are based at Indian reservations.

Online college and university courses allow students opportunities to study remotely, from wherever they have Internet access. Students on online classes and online degree programs are able to schedule their coursework during times when they aren't working or tending to family responsibilities. Whether online offerings include no charge college classes or not, instruction is often provided in audio and video formats and with interactive elements such as bulletin boards.

Many colleges and universities offer courses with no fee these days. These classes can be found on the websites for different institutions as well as through an Open CourseWare Consortium web site. Unlike the university offering for Tribal Education members, however, students in most uncharged offering don't receive academic credit. What they do receive is the opportunity to sample as many different subjects as they can imagine - perhaps leading to a new career or the drive to get a formal education.

Students in free college courses don't submit assignments and therefore aren't graded on them. Neither do students have opportunities to interact with their instructors or fellow students as part of free college courses. These courses do provide insight into different subjects and an idea of what online college and university programs are like.

American Indians and Alaska Natives are among the minority groups who tend to be underrepresented in certain fields. Because of this, they're likely to find a variety of scholarships intended to encourage their studies in specific fields. With the availability of free college course programs, both accredited and for the pleasure of learning, education for everyone is taking a giant leap in the future.