Online Learning: An Overview
In 2007, a national survey was commissioned by the Sloan Consortium and administered to colleges and universities to assess the nature and extent of online learning in higher education. The survey report, Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning found that the 19.7 percent growth rate in online learners far exceeds the overall 1.6 percent enrollment growth of the entire learner population in higher education over the past five years (Allen & Seeman, 2008). In 2007, over one-fifth of the student body in higher education was taking at least one online course. While there is a great deal of diversity across course delivery methods, online courses are typically characterized by 80% to 100% of the content delivered online with little to no face-to-face meetings. Blended courses have 30% to 79% of the content delivered online (Allen & Seeman, 2008).
The substantial growth in online enrollments indicated the growing demand for alternative course options from those seeking professional development opportunities. Adults are drawn to online courses and programs because they offer flexibility and access. With effective teaching practices and high quality course development, online learning can provide a rigorous, rewarding learning experience for participants. However, online learning is not easy, and it requires elements of planning, design, development, and implementation that differ from face-to-face courses.
