Online Education

Photo of a student at a laptop computer

Online Education

DIGITAL EDUCATION

Knewton Infographic

In 2010, 6.3 million students took at least one online course at degree-granting post-secondary institutions.
By 2014, 81% of post-secondary students will take some or all of their classes online.

THOUGHT: I tell my nieces and nephews that there is absolutely no excuse for not knowing something any more, given that they carry the world’s information in their pockets. 

Wanna know something? Wherever you are, just Google it. 

You can download lectures from some of the world’s best professors at some of the best institutions of higher education from iTunes. For free. You can find subject matter experts in practically any field blogging and/or tweeting away. You can get books downloaded to your eReader or tablet or phone. You can stream documentaries instantly from Netflix and find videos from experts employed by universities across the country on YouTube. 

And you can do it all at your convenience. 

I don’t pretend to know the best solution for transforming our educational system from the industrial age relic it is into the flexible, accessible, on-demand service we need it to become, but I do know it must be transformed if America is to compete, let alone, lead the world.

The infrastructure is essentially in place. 

KEYWORD WEDNESDAY: The volume of searches for “online school” have steadily increased since 2004. There are 1.8 million searches for “online school” a month, according to Google.

 

Thank you for curiosity. 

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1 Comment

  1. Gill Mc on September 19, 2011 at 5:27 am

    I’m not surprised by these statistcs at all.  My children and all their friends use the internet the same way we used to use a dictionary or encyclopedia at school.  (revealing my age here lol).  No matter what question you have, the internet has an answer.  It is so much more convenient to study online and no matter what subject you would like to learn there are more and more opportunities to do it. The introduction of educational webinars and such are actually even better than the classroom in my opinion.  I feel more people are likely to ask questions without the fear of appearing stupid in front of everyone else…. since its really only you and a computer screen.  The other thing to consider is the lack of distraction and the feeling of one on one tutoring which helps the subject sink in faster and become more memorable.  I definately agree that this type of study should be promoted in our education system but I don’t know how that sort of transition could take place.