Distance Learning: What the Numbers Say

In the past, the term “distance learning” carried some serious baggage. The idea of someone lounging around at home taking classes in their underwear for a few years before emerging with a degree seemed like a subpar shortcut.

The situation is very different now. Global happenings have caused organizations to embrace online education as a necessity. And when schools open their doors once again, that distance learning experience is likely to change the way they operate in the future.

If your opinion of eLearning leans toward skepticism, don’t let this sweeping change scare you. The following statistics about distance education tell a story that looks to have a very happy open ending.

Distance Learning Is Well-Established

If you think online learning is a new invention, think again. It’s actually been around for hundreds of years. According to an article by Sara Elliot for How Stuff Works, distance learning has existed since as far back as 1728, when at least one course was offered by regular mail.

Of course, as technology progressed correspondence classes advanced as well. Today distance learning mostly exists on the internet, and everyone is doing it. One EdTech Magazine report listed a few telling statistics regarding the prevalence of online courses:

• “89% of of four-year public colleges and universities offer online classes”
• “91% of two-year colleges offer online courses.”
• “58% of college and universities that offer online courses grant degrees for which all the course work can be completed online.”

Those massive numbers aren’t limited to second-rate institutions, either. Even Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale make use of distance learning, which lends serious credibility to this method of education.

Distance Learning Boosts Academic Performance

It may seem counterintuitive, but distance learning could actually help students perform better than they do if they exclusively take in-class courses. Here’s some documented proof:

• The U.S. Department of Education discovered that “on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.”
• A Sh!ft inforgraphic references a study of online training programs found that learners retain 25% to 60% more of the information they learn in online trainings than they do in classroom formats.
• Per Statista, 81% of college students credit distance learning technology with helping them raise their grades in 2016.

The value of online education goes far beyond its convenience. If it can help improve students’ performance, there’s no reason not to implement it as soon as possible!

Distance Learning Is Cost Effective

Bettering student performance is what drives your business, but do the expenses of implementing distance learning technology and developing online programs deliver a worthwhile ROI? The answer is undoubtedly “Yes!” Here’s what we found to support that claim:

• According to an article on TechJury.net, “A survey of 2,500 companies found that those with ‘comprehensive training programs’ have 218% higher revenue per employee and 24% higher profit margins.”
• Per Skillscouter.com, when IBM implemented online training, the resulting company savings reached nine figures.
• Educationnews.org reported that “a recent study out of the University of Texas shows that universities can gain operating savings of as much as 50% by offering courses online.”

What’s the bottom line? Distance learning can help you cut costs and increase profit.