Who benefits most from online learning - student or school

NY Times has an interesting piece consisting of interviews with key educators, each of whom takes a position on the question of to whom the benefits of online learning accrue - student or school.  There's a little for everyone in this article.  Worth a read - particularly if you need a good summary of the key issues surrounding the viability and credibility of distance education.

College Degrees Without Going to Class - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com

Online courses have been around for nearly two decades, but enrollment has soared in recent years as more universities increase their offerings. More than 4.6 million college students (about one in four) were taking at least one online course in 2008, a 17 percent increase over 2007.

Institutions like Rutgers University and the University of California system are looking at expanding online courses as a way to keep down tuition costs or increase revenues. Recently, Rutgers said it would triple online revenues from $20.5 million to $60 million in five years.

Who benefits most from online courses — students or colleges? Are online classes as educationally effective as in-classroom instruction? Should more post-secondary education take place online?