Online course demand to double
Jan 11th, 2005According to a study by Red Vector, noted here at Distance Educator, demand for online courses will double in 2005, especially in the area of professional specialization and corporate learning.
• Spending on online continuing education passed the $9 billion mark in 2003, according to IDC Research, and grew to between $12 and 14 billion in 2004, according to Bersin and Associates.
• IDC predicts a 30% increase in yearly e-learning spending worldwide through 2008.
• The number of companies using online learning to train employees will grow by 50% in 2005, according to Bersin and Associates.
Economics has been a driving force behind growth in online professional education. With online courses, companies no longer have to pay travel and hotel costs and employees can be more productive since they aren't spending time traveling.
Here are a few examples of how this is already taking off with CyberGrad providing training for Department of Transportation officials, UHS-Pruitt Corporation's affiliation with healthcare learning providers, and GeoLearning's work in the outsourcing arena.
