Distance learning

Question:
How many how many students take distance learning courses at the postsecondary level?

Response:
Distance education courses and programs provide flexible learning opportunities to both undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students. In this indicator, distance education courses include live, interactive audio- or videoconferencing; prerecorded instructional videos; webcasts; CD-ROMs or DVDs; or computer-based systems accessed over the Internet. Distance education does not include correspondence courses.

In 2007�, about 4.3 million undergraduate students, or 20 percent of all undergraduates, took at least one distance education course. About 0.8 million, or 4 percent of all undergraduates, took their entire program through distance education. The percentage of undergraduates who took any distance education courses rose from 16 percent in 2003� to 20 percent in 2007�; over the same period, however, the percentage who took their entire program through distance education decreased from 5 to 4 percent. In addition to these undergraduate students, about 0.8 million, or 22 percent, of all postbaccalaureate students took distance education courses in 2007�. The percentage of postbaccalaureate students who took their entire program through distance education (9 percent) was higher than the percentage at the undergraduate level.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education,National Center for Education Statistics. (2011).The Condition of Education 2011(NCES 2011-033), Indicator 43.

Number and percentage of undergraduate students in postsecondary institutions taking distance education courses, by selected characteristics: 2007-08
Selected characteristic	Number of students taking any distance education courses (in thousands)	Percent of all students taking any distance education courses	Number of students taking their entire program through distance education (in thousands)	Percent of all students taking their entire program through distance education
Total	4,277	20.4	769	3.7
Sex
Male	1,679	18.6	297	3.3
Female	2,598	21.8	472	4.0
Race/ethnicity
White	2,803	21.7	489	3.8
Black	592	20.2	145	5.0
Hispanic	484	16.4	74	2.5
Asian	225	18.2	37	3.0
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	27	17.7	�	1.3!
American Indian/Alaska Native	39	22.1	�	2.0!
Two or more races	99	20.1	15	3.0
Other and unknown	8	13.4	�/td>	4.7!

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error represents more than 30 percent of the estimate.

� Reporting standards not met.

NOTE: Estimates pertain to all postsecondary students who enrolled at any time during the school year at an institution participating in Title IV programs. Distance education participation includes participation at any institution for students attending more than one institution during the school year. Data include Puerto Rico. Detail may not sum to totals because of survey item nonresponse and rounding. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011).The Condition of Education 2011(NCES 2011-033), Table A-43-1 .

Related Tables and Figures:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2011, The Condition of Education 2011: Number and percentage of postbaccalaureate students in postsecondary institutions taking distance education courses, by selected characteristics: 2007-08
  

Other Resources:  (Listed by Release Date)

• 2011, Learning at a Distance: Undergraduate Enrollment in Distance Education Courses and Degree Programs