Study: Public higher education embracing virtual classrooms

(CNN) -- Public higher education is the prime participant in the virtual classroom movement and its interest continues to grow, according to a survey.

In 1997-98, 91 percent of public two- and four-year institutions either offered or planned to offer distance learning courses in the next three years, according to a National Center for Education Statistics study released in December 1999.

The study defines distance learning courses as courses delivered through the Internet or other audio/video media.

Among public four-year institutions, the percentage offering distance learning rose from 62 percent in fall 1995 to 79 percent in 1997-98. An additional 12 percent, in 1997-98, planned to offer distance learning courses in the next three years.

	STUDY RESULTS
See the numbers behind distance learning

Among public two-year institutions, the percentage offering distance learning courses increased from 58 percent in 1995 to 72 percent in 1997-98. An extra 19 percent planned to offer these courses in the next three years, in 1997-98.

Private four-year institutions are much less likely than public institutions to offer distance learning courses, according to the survey. In 1997-98, 53 percent didn't offer such courses and had no plans to offer them in the next three years.

The National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the U.S. Department of Education, also found that the total enrollment in distance learning courses across all post-secondary degree-granting institutions roughly doubled -- from 754,000 to 1.6 million -- from 1995 to 1997-98.

More online learning statistics:

• According to an International Data Corp. study, the number of college students taking distance learning courses will triple to 2.2 million by 2002, or 15 percent of all higher education students.
• International Data Corp. also predicts that the proportion of four-year colleges offering a distance learning program will grow from 62 to 84 percent by 2002. At community colleges, the proportion will rise from 58 to 85 percent.
• Market Data Retrieval, an educational market research company, found that out of 2,000 colleges that responded to its survey, 72 percent offered online courses in 1999-2000, compared with 48 percent in 1998-99.

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CNNdotCOM
National Center for Education Statistics
International Data Corporation
Market Data Retrieval

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