Lesson 2 Benefits of Online Learning
     
  Objective Describe the Advantages of E-learning
     

market growth

According to management consultant Allen Hamilton's new report, "Re-Learning e-Learning," the e-learning marketplace is poised to go from $5.3 billion in 2000 to $13.6 billion in 2004 (Hamilton, 2000). This an effective growth rate of over 25% per year, which is significantly higher growth than is being experience in other sectors of the post-secondary marketplace.

     
  E-Learners What is fueling this type of growth in an otherwise flat economy? Much of the growth can being attributed to the previously untapped market of the non-traditional learner. It's the stay at home mom who wants to finish a degree while raising her children. Or maybe it's the busy executive who wants to add an MBA to her resume - but can't afford to take a year off work to do so. Whatever the reason, e-learning makes education accessible to many who are not able to attend traditional full-time day programs.
     
  Advantages

E-learning has numerous benefits - both from a pedagogical and accessibility perspective. Some of the more common benefits mentioned by learners are:

  • flexible schedule
  • increased collaboration with other students
  • ability to work at your own pace
  • enhanced student-student and student-instructor communication
  • student centered approach
  • 7/24 availability
  • just in time marking and feedback
  • reduction in travel costs
  • ability to more easily accommodate different learning styles
     
  Self-Test Try the following Self-Test to test your knowledge of the benefits of e-learning.
   
  Next lesson In the next lesson, you will learn about the characteristics of successful online learners.