Patten University produces distance learning courses

Online learning courses are being offered by a college in Oakland, California.

Patten University developed the e-learning program to deal with the need for accessible education,

It will be launched in June and has been designed to ensure young people in the region can take transferable, high-quality classes at prices comparable to those offered by the traditional academic centres in California.

As part of the virtual learning environment, individuals will be able to collaborate with their peers and the university's faculty.

The online learning program was developed through UniversityNow, which worked alongside technologists from organisations such as Oracle and Google, as well as postsecondary education specialists.

Classes can be accessed during an eight-week period this summer, beginning on June 4th.

Open registration commences on May 3rd, continuing throughout the month, with early bird entrants able to sign up before April 30th.

Online training will detail a wide range of subjects, including reading and composition, American history, sociology, general psychology, college algebra, statistics, communication and biology.

Resources, textbooks and study materials are also provided when people sign up for these distance learning courses.

When a student has completed a subject successfully, they will be given transferrable college credit, while an official transcript will be sent to their university or school.

Patten University president Dr Gary Moncher said: "As an institution with deep roots in California, we have heard numerous stories of students unable to register for the courses they need to graduate."

"We want to contribute a creative solution to the crisis by providing affordable access to quality higher education," he added.

Funding for community colleges in the state has been slashed by over 17 per cent during the last three years, although enrolment has grown by 200,000 since 2005.

This has resulted in countless students being denied access to the degrees or subjects they need, the educational establishment noted.

"Patten University online offers an affordable, high-quality solution to the higher education crisis in California and over time can help thousands of students to stay on course to graduation," chief executive officer of UniversityNow Gene Wade remarked.