Add as a preferred source on Google

BestColleges.com Releases 2016 Online Education Trends Report

  • 03/23/16

HOUSTON, TX – In partnership with HigherEducation.com, BestColleges.com has released its 2016 Online Education Trends Report. The report draws from an extensive data pool to address relevant developments, patterns and concerns related to the field of virtual education.

"Traditional barriers to quality education are falling," notes General Manager Stephanie Snider. "This is in large part due to emerging technologies, including online learning. At no other time in history has higher education been so accessible to so many. This flexibility opens doors to those who otherwise might not have the opportunity to earn a degree."

Enrollment rates for online courses and degree programs have increased annually since the 1990s. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), one out of seven college students in 2014 was enrolled in a fully online academic program, a 6.6 percent increase over the previous two years. Furthermore, 58 percent of undergraduates and 79 percent of graduate students in 2013 enrolled in at least one online course.

The flexibility and accessibility of online programs have attracted a younger pool of students in recent years. Roughly one-third of undergraduates in online programs were 18-24 years old in 2015, a nearly 10 percent increase in that demographic over the last three years. Additionally, 61 percent of online students were enrolled full-time in 2015. And while online learning has historically appealed to students with full-time jobs, the report finds that more of today's e-learners are unemployed or working part-time.

The 2016 Online Education Trends Report offers a comprehensive look at the year ahead in online education. This guide is a useful, data-driven resource for students, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders in online academics. Readers can download a complete PDF of the 2016 Online Trends Report from the summary page on BestColleges.com.

Featured

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

  • Different Starting Points, Same End Goal

    Higher education campuses can enhance student experience by implementing mobile credentials to streamline building access, on-campus payments, and access to other amenities. This enables students to connect to their campuses through the technology they use most: their mobile devices.

Digital Edition