U.S. News defends online college rankings amid harsh criticism

Researchers said they were satisfied with the level of participation in their rankings.

Creators of U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural ranking of online college programs continued their defense of the much-publicized list this week when they said their methodology would “evolve over time” and that students shouldn’t base their college selection on the magazine’s rankings.

What seemed to be an acknowledgment of online learning’s mainstream appeal and acceptance was quickly turned into a rallying point for campus technology officials disappointed with the list.

Some educational technologists panned the U.S. News list of the nation’s best online course offerings when it was released in early January, criticizing the compilation as one that lacked higher education’s full participation and expertise from campus officials with experience in web-based education.…Read More