NY Time High Cost Of Driving Ignites Online Class Boom

On July 2nd I started a poll on number of requests for online classes. I started this poll after noticing the number of emails I was receiving had increased over the number of emails I had received the previous year. I was not sure if the increase in the number of requests was due to my excellent teaching style or due some other factors. This article from the NY Times points to high gas prices, so it was not me (my ego is deflated).

The story talks of how students after getting rid of their gas guzzlers are now turning to online education.

First, Ryan Gibbons bought a Hyundai so he would not have to drive his
gas-guzzling Chevy Blazer to college classes here. When fuel prices kept
rising,
he cut expenses again, eliminating two campus visits a week by
enrolling in an online version of one of his courses

... thousands of students nationwide, including many who were previously
reluctant to study online, have suddenly decided to take one or more college
classes over the Internet."

Also the story points out that the biggest surge in online education is happening at community colleges

"...the greatest surges have been registered at two-year community
colleges, where most students are commuters, many support families and few can
absorb large new expenditures for fuel."