The 2012 Distance Education Survey, published by the Instructional Technology Council (ITC), indicates growth in distance learning along with other positive trends. The survey assessed critical factors affecting both students and schools.
Results indicate that distance learning enrollment grew by 6.52 percent from fall 2011 to fall 2012. Although this represents a slowing of distance learning enrollment from the previous high of 22 percent from fall 2007 to fall 2008, it nevertheless indicates a continued and sustained level of interest.
The economic downturn appears to have had a measurable impact on student enrollment, with more people seeking to improve their job skills before reentering the workforce.
In addition to economic forces shaping enrollment in distance learning, ITC indicates that several trends have emerged from the past decade, adding to the increased popularity in distance education. In fact, about half of the 2012 study respondents indicated that the completion rates between traditional, on-site courses and distance learning courses have narrowed.
Community colleges continue to seek ways to reduce costs for students to make obtaining a degree more affordable and encourage enrollment. They are exploring several methods to make distance learning less expensive, including open-source educational resources and the use of eTexts rather than traditional printed textbooks.
Although distance learning through correspondence courses and other methods has been around for decades, Internet-based learning has drastically changed the face of distance education in the 21st century. Blended-model classrooms, asynchronous and synchronous learning and massive open online courses (MOOCs) bring both new opportunities and challenges, especially for institutions seeking to open their courses to students living in different states from where the institution is based.
Currently, colleges and universities can only offer courses within the state in which they are registered. They must navigate a maze of red tape and pay varying fees in order to accept students from other states into their distance education courses.
The Commission on the Regulation of Post-secondary Distance Education’s report, released in April 2013, suggests changes to bureaucratic hurdles that make it difficult for higher education institutions to offer distance education programs across state lines. Former Secretary of Education Richard Riley and the commission recommended a reciprocity arrangement among the states to make offering distance learning programs nationwide easier, faster and less expensive than the current system.
Such changes benefit both institutions and students. Institutions can expand enrollment once they can offer distance learning courses outside of their home state, and students have greater access to degrees, majors and courses once more colleges can open their virtual doors in all 50 states.
Increased enrollment and closing completion gap rates are two positive signs from the 2012 survey. These and other reports, such as the one from the Commission, underscore the growth, opportunity and potential for both higher education institutions and students alike in the world of online and distance learning.
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