A. webD. traditionalG. benefitsJ. taken M. moments
B. discussionsE. administrationH. missed K. liberal N. critical
C. wheneverF. institutionsI. meanwhile L. receive O. weakness On-line courses (also called distance learning) are a hot new trend in American education. According to the non-profit Distance Education and Training Council, about 400 U.S. colleges and schools offer some portion of their programs on the (1) . At the university level, they cost the same as (2) classes and require similar weekly assignments and textbook reading; the difference is in class participation. Generally speaking, students congregate on-line throughout each week to explore topic with the professor, but these (3) occur "asynchronously" rather than in real time. (You read others’ comments and post your own (4) you get a chance.) Written assignments are posted; you e-mail in your work periodically, and you’re required to take a proctored exam in order to (5) degree credit. Career boosting business (6) and information technology programs are the most popular, but you’ll also find a variety of (7) arts offerings, from film theory to medieval history and foreign language study. While you still can’t get an Ivy League degree on-line, a growing number of elite (8) , including Stanford and New York University are beginning to offer on-line courses. The (9) for busy people are obvious. "I always get a front row seat," says one student studying at the State University of New York Learning Network. "I can get up in the middle of class to grab a cup of coffee. The class is waiting for me when I get back, and I haven’t (10) a thing." On the other hand, some students miss the face-to-face interaction that often sparks interest and involvement.