Broadband in Rural Higher Education Deserts Can Help Address Digital Divide

Broadband is a critical element of a new approach to rural higher education that aims to combine the best of on-line and in-class teaching techniques to address what some people call rural “higher education deserts.” By using broadband in rural higher education deserts, in combination with brick-and-mortar higher education centers, some states are finding ways of enabling local residents to earn college degrees. Several states – including Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia – have established higher education centers that provide physical infrastructure for colleges to offer online and in-class instruction in places lacking traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. Students also have the option of participating in class via videoconferencing over a broadband connection to a local high school or other location.