Hussar, W. and Bailey, T. (2009) Projections of education statistics to 2018 US Department of Education National Center for Educational Statistics: Washington DC
The education department’s projections for schools granting degrees show enrollment will increase:
- 38% for Hispanic students, 26% for black students and 4% for white students
- 16% for women and 9% for men
- 9% for students ages 18-24; 25% for students 25-34; 12% for students 35 and older
- 12% for undergraduates and 18% for graduate students
- to 20.6 million overall in fall 2018 – 13% higher than 2007 stats
Some implications
1. Increase of 13% in overall student numbers will put even more pressure on funding. My guess: even larger classes if there is no radical change in teaching/institutional delivery methods
2. Increase in proportion of older and graduate students will increase demand for more online learning, flexible delivery, and distance courses/programs
3. Increasing diversity of students will require more diverse/adaptable teaching strategies to accommodate increasing differences in learning style’s/academic abilities.
How will institutions respond to this? Larger face-to-face classes or more intelligent use of technology? Answers on a postcard please (actually, comment box below will do).
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
From Barbie Bruce: barbie.bruce@unb.ca
If institutions go to larger classrooms they will suffer reduced enrolment to the institutions that provide well designed, distance education courses/programs. Increasingly students of all ages are demanding something that PSE historically have not provided, namely customer service and that will be more important in the future. Learners will take their learning and learning dollars to a place that provides the services they want.
Intelligent, thoughtful use of technology to support and enhance the learning environment in distance education will expand.
From Barbie Bruce: barbie.bruce@unb.ca
If institutions go to larger classrooms they will suffer reduced enrolment to the institutions that provide well designed, distance education courses/programs. Increasingly students of all ages are demanding something that PSE historically have not provided, namely customer service and that will be more important in the future. Learners will take their learning and learning dollars to a place that provides the services they want.
Intelligent, thoughtful use of technology to support and enhance the learning environment in distance education will expand.