Future of E-learning, and Why

A recent U.S. News report cited some telling statistics:

• Online education enrollment was up 20% in 2004.
• 11% of post-secondary students will take at least one course online.
• More than 90% of public colleges offer at least one online course.
• The e-learning market will top $4 billion in 2005.

A recent U.S. News report cited some telling statistics:

• Online education enrollment was up 20% in 2004.
• 11% of post-secondary students will take at least one course online.
• More than 90% of public colleges offer at least one online course.
• The e-learning market will top $4 billion in 2005.

Clearly the increase in e-learning isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it looks to be increasing and growing more abundant. And a recent survey done by a group of colleges making up the Sloan Consortium revealed that within three years, online education might be more effective than the traditional classroom education.

So what is making online education blossom? What works within e-learning? The answers to these questions might surprise you because they are very similar to the answers of these questions if they were asked of the traditional classroom learning.

Group work plays a huge role in the success and growth of e-learning. Online chat and discussion rooms offer opportunities for discussion and the sharing of ideas and studying in a way that traditional classroom programs do not. The work of e-learning affords students the time to write and develop thoughts extensively on their own.

But even the group work and time spent alone studying and writing can not replace the effectiveness of face-to-face, human contact. So, despite the boom of e-learning, research hypothesize that the traditional classroom with never go away.

Posted on February 28, 2006 at 4:49 PM

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