Alternative to what?

The title, "An Examination of Alternative Higher Art Education Paradigms in North America", assumes that there is some sort of conventional "Art Education" in North America.  There is, and I would describe those as college, university, and private art schools that offer degrees.  I will henceforth refer to this as academic art education.  So this website aims to examine the unconventional formats that operate outside of the academic paradigm, such as summer art camps, museum study programs, internet education, and other less formal art education experiences that there may not even be a name for.