According to the seventh annual Sloan Survey of Online Learning published in 2009, there was a 17% rise in online enrollments. One of the reasons could be the economic times. As the U.S. economy declines, there is more and more demand for online learning. According to this report, historically bad economic times were good for higher education enrollments. Whether it is for a better job or advancements in their current jobs, there is no denying that there is an increase in these enrollments. According to the report, in Fall 2008, over 4.6 million students took at least one online course.
In the New York Times' article "Live vs. Distance Learning: Measuring the Differences, Trip Gabriel reports that according to the Department of Education's analysis of 99 studies, online learning was more effective than face-to-face learning. As a student myself who has taken an online course, there are advantages and disadvantages of online learning. One of the advantages is that if someone is employed, he or she can probably find the time for the course while working. Another advantage is that if one of my children gets sick, I can still go online and not miss class. On the other hand, a disadvantage would be that I would not have the face-to-face interaction with my professors/classmates, but that's where blended-learning comes in. Students can do both - learn online and in the classroom. Their learning can be more personalized to fit their needs. The following video is by Curtis J. Bonk, Professor of Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University and author of The World is Open and The Handbook of Blended Learning and is the 12th in a series of videos posted on YouTube:
For more on "Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009" go to: http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/pdf/learningondemand.pdf
To read the New York Times' "Live vs. Distance Learning: Measuring the Differences" go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/us/05collegeside.html?_r=2&emc=eta1
Blended learning is a way to combine pros of both, live and virtual learning processes. The challenge though as Dr. Bonk outlined is to combine the two approaches in 'synergy' to come up with an approach that aims to make knowledge most conceivable and enjoyable!
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