Just as a note, the number of online courses in the world has grown dramatically since 2000. Major R1 Universities are now getting back into the DL “game” as many of the DL kinks have been worked out. I can only speak for the program I’m familiar with, but here are answers to your questions:

1. Why do you assume DL courses cost less? Although, they may be slightly less, it’s not much of a difference and it probably shouldn’t be any different. A lot of money and time needs to be invested in an online program to make it successful. At least in regards to the school I’m affiliated with, salaries are exactly the same. I can think of many cases where online students achieved higher salaries.

2. No difference in academic or work qualifications. The vast majority of the students choose the DL option for convenience.

3. The curriculum is exactly the same. “Do students learn different?” - Well, this depends on so many factors, obviously, it is difficult to determine. In any course - face to face or online, research tells us the biggest determinant to learning is the teacher. You have good and bad teachers in both settings. One must also consider the student, the other students and any personal obligations occurring in the student’s life.

4. A employer who thinks the online degree is devalued compared to a f2f one is just ignorant of the online program. Besides, I don’t know of a major company that doesn’t utilize e-learning within their training department. Numerous studies tell us there is absolutely no difference between an online setting and face to face when it comes to learning outcomes.

5. This is interesting. I suppose if the above scenario(s) were true, it would certainly affect both face to face and online students negatively. To avoid this, any school that wants to implement an online program must be willing to invest in the proper technology and people.

6. On a general note, students in an online setting network with each other much more than those in face to face classes because they have to. There is no “hiding in the back of the room” and to be successful, everyone must participate. The online students are welcome to attend the same events as the on campus students. Finally, with the infiltration of social networking sites, this is almost a moot point. I would imagine the on campus students (at least within a certain age range) do as much networking online as they do face to face nowadays.