Listing Toward Order

By Steve Kolowich

The results are in for U.S. News & World Report’s first attempt to rank online programs at colleges and universities, but the jury is still out on how well the publication has managed to assess the programs on its first try.

The inaugural online rankings assessed bachelor’s degree programs, as well as master’s programs in business, engineering, nursing, computer and information technology, and education. The survey suffered from some data collection woes that leave much to be desired — and criticized. U.S. News nevertheless has published its first attempt to render the nebulous cloud of online higher education as a series of hierarchies. Let the chest-thumping and methodological takedowns begin!

Continued at: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/01/10/us-news-world-report-releases-first-ever-online-college-program-rankings

Visit the U.S. News & World Report’s website: http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education

Read about the Data Collection: http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2012/01/09/about-the-top-online-education-programs-rankings

Review WCET’s Blogroll on the Topic: http://wcetblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/us-news-honor-rolls/