What Does The Current Research on Online Education Say?
Table of Contents
Guide to Online Education
Our comprehensive guide addresses what online education entails, what online learning options exist, how to select the best online education for your needs, and much more.
In designing the "Guide to Online Education," we worked closely with online students, graduates, professors, and online learning experts to collect practical information to help you succeed in online learning.
Download the "Guide to Online Education."
How To Reference This
eLearners.com. (2007). Guide to online education. Retrieved 1/6/2009, from the World Wide Web. http://www.elearners.com/
guide-to-online-education/.
References
(1) Allen, E. I., and Seaman, J. (2005). Entering the Mainstream, The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2003 and 2004.
(2) American Council on Education. (2006). Adult Learners in the United States. A National Profile.
(3) U.S. National Center for Educational Statistics. (2003). Projections of Educational Statistics to 2013. Section 2 Enrollment in Degree-Granting Institutions.
(4) U.S. National Center for Education Statistics. (2004). Participation in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: 2000-01. NCES 2004-050.
(5) Sloan Consortium. (2006). Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006
(6) Vault.com. (2005). Online Degrees Survey.
(7) Phipps, R., and Merisotis, J. (1999). What's the difference? A review of contemporary research on the effectiveness of distance learning in higher education.
(8) Russell, T. (2001). The No Significant Difference Phenomenon.
Facts and Figures from the Online Education Research
Online Education & Distance Learning Research
Guide to Online Education > Online Education In-Depth > What The Research Says
Adult students returning to college have steadily increased over the last two decades:
You Are Not Alone!
You're not the only one thinking about going back to school:
In 2001, 92 million U.S. adults (46 percent) participated in some kind of formal adult education in order to keep their skills current, accommodate new job requirements, earn an advanced degree, or, simply, to broaden one's horizons (1).
Sound Familiar?
- "Adult learners are likely to be married and have children—especially if they are age 30 or older. The exception is low-income adult students who are more likely to be single parents" (2)
- "Adult learners are less likely to apply for aid than traditional-age students, but 85 percent of those who do apply receive assistance."(2)
Demand for Online Education
Adult learners are most likely to be online learners, and public colleges and universities are the most likely to be offering online degrees and programs.
- 3.2 million students took at least a one online course in the fall of 2005. This is an 18.2 percent increase from the 2003-04 school year. (5)
- 90.6 percent of public institutions offer online courses. 46.1 percent of public postsecondary schools offer fully online degree programs, whereas only 46.6 percent of private, non-profit institutions offered online courses. (5)
- A majority of Chief Academic Officers (62 percent) believe that online instruction is equal to, if not superior to, classroom learning. (5)
Acceptability of an Online Degree
Online education is gaining acceptance in the workplace:
An overwhelming majority of employers (86 percent) are willing to hire a job applicant who has an online degree.
85 percent of employers representing a variety of industries across the U.S. feel that online degrees are more acceptable today than they were five years ago. (6)
When asked if employers had ever encountered job applicants with an online degree, 34 percent of respondents said yes. 20 percent have hired an applicant with a degree earned online. (6)
Effectiveness of Online Education
"Most of these studies conclude that, regardless of the technology used, distance learning courses compare favorably with classroom-based instruction and enjoy high student satisfaction." (7)
If you have any lingering doubts in the effectiveness of technology-delivered instruction, visit the "The No Significant Difference Phenomenon" Web site. The companion website to the 2001 book by the same name is a compilation of 355 research reports, summaries and papers that show no difference in student academic achievement when distance learning courses are compared with traditional, on-campus classes. (8)
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