Writing for American Outlook, Checker Finn examines the potential for chaos and fraud inherent in the fast-growing market of virtual higher education, aka distance learning-which has evolved from its Pony Express origins into wildly varying offerings by universities, non-profits and for-profits far and wide. It's easier and sleazier than ever to earn a degree online, writes Finn, especially since many virtual "universities" award credit and diplomas for life experience, not for course-based study and content mastery. What's worse, because accreditation is voluntary and largely unmonitored, it can be difficult to distinguish the legitimate education institutions from the snake oil vendors. See "Fool U.," by Chester E. Finn, Jr., American Outlook, Fall 2002 (subscribers only).
