How Is The Internet Changing Education?

The internet has brought many wonders to our lives. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t get lost much anymore (thanks to my Google Maps app), I never have to look up hot spots for meals ahead of time when I travel (thanks, Yelp), and when I want to know more about something, I can take my phone out and find the information I’m looking for.

The internet has brought great things to education, too. Research is easier, for sure. And online learning is bringing education options in varying ranges of affordability to a much wider audience. The handy infographic below takes a look at how educational power is shifting away from the hands of the institutions and more into the hands of students. Keep reading to learn about some of the milestones of e-learning, the current state of the internet and education, and what changes the internet is making happen.

How Is The Internet Changing Education?

In 1971, The Open University in England begins broadcasting lectures on TV
The now well known Univ. of Phoenix opens in 1989
The term e-learning was coined in 1999
Online education is currently a $34 billion industry
The Open University is now the UK’s largest with 250,000 students
The University of Phoenix is the largest in the US, with more than 500,000
Khan Academy has over 41 million views on its courses
Online learning can offer more personalized learning options
Students can learn at their own pace, taking as many or as few classes at a time as they choose
There are fewer one size fits all lecture based courses
The London School of Business and Finance offered an MBA delivered entirely through a Facebook app