Interpreting the Impact of Program Maturity Online learning
programs are often on the cutting edge of education reform and,
like any new technology, may require a period of adaptation. For
example, a district might try creating a new online course and
discover some technical glitches when students begin to actually
use it. Course creators also may need to fine-tune content,
adjusting how it is presented or explained. For their part,
students who are new to online course taking may need some time
to get used to the format. Perhaps they need to learn new ways
of studying or interacting with the teacher to be successful. If
an evaluation is under way as all of this is going on, its
findings may have more to do with the program's newness than its
quality or effectiveness. Because the creators of online
programs often make adjustments to policies and practices while
perfecting their model, it is ideal to wait until the program
has had a chance to mature. At the same time, online learning
programs are often under p