Video: 30 things about online education and distance learning

Many people think of online learning as a current trend, but online education degrees have been around longer than you may think, from correspondence courses of the past to the modern online degree programs that exist today. This spring, Ashworth College is celebrating 30 years of providing distance education. In honor of this milestone, here are 30 things to know about Ashworth online education and distance learning.

Watch 30 things to know video

Read the Video Transcript

30 things to know about distance learning

Distance Learning

• A method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or classes are conducted by correspondence or over the internet, without the student’s needing to attend school or college.

1828 | First Distance learning program established

• Students in the University of London External Programme received lessons and correspondence with mail.

1938 | Film and radio adds to distance learning

• 200 city school systems, 25 state boards of education, and many colleges and universities broadcast educational programs for public schools.

1993 | First accredited online college founded

• Students are now able to complete degree programs entirely online.

Types of online learning include

• Online Degree: Academic programs that allow a student to earn a degree entirely online, in lieu of attending a traditional brick-and-mortar school.
• Blended Learning: An education program that combines online learning with traditional in-person instruction.
• Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): A course of study made available over the internet for free to a large number of people.

Advantages to online education:

• Accessibility: students are less bout by time and location.
• Flexibility: students are not constrained by a fixed schedule, allowing them to work and/or other obligations.
• Affordability: Distance education is often less expensive than traditional education opening up learning opportunities to more people.

Today, 5.8 million students take online courses in the United States alone.

• This amounts to more than one in four students!

2.85 million students take all of their college courses online.

2.97 million students take some, but not all of their courses online.

The average online undergraduate student is 29 years old.

The average online graduate student is 33 years old

30% of Online undergraduate students are male.

69% of online graduate students are female.

34% of online graduate students are male.

66% of online graduate students are female.

25% of online undergraduate students are employed part time.

45% of online undergraduate students are employed full time.

16% of online graduate students are employed part time.

65% of online graduate students are employed full time.

More than ¾ of students enroll in online programs to further their career.

Why enroll? Online students want to further their careers.

• 36% want to change career fields.
• 32% want to get ahead in the same field

Half of online students said they would not pursue a degree if their program was not available online or partially online.

The Top Ten Online Undergraduate Areas of study:

• Business
• Health & Medicine
• Computers & IT
• Arts and Humanities
• Social Sciences
• Criminal Justice
• Law
• Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math
• Education & Teaching
• Counseling

Top 10 Online Graduate Areas of Study:

• Business
• Computers & IT
• Education & Teaching
• Health & Medicine
• Social Sciences
• Criminal Justice
• Law
• Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math
• Arts & Humanities
• Counseling