Students’ comfort level with online educational
programs is growing, in part because so many students now take online courses
in high school.
For instance, Florida high school students are required
to take at least one online course to graduate, while community colleges across
the country continue to offer more courses in online and hybrid formats. That
has led to an increase in the number of online undergraduates ages 18-24,
according to a 2015 survey from Aslanian Market Research and The Learning
House.
“They’re a lot more comfortable than, I think, even
five years, 10 years ago, just in terms of using that technology,” Andrea
Reese, chair of online studies at Daytona State College, said of online students
in U.S. News and World Report.
“That intimidation factor is gone.”
Nearly 1,800 students ages 18-24 enrolled for the
2013-14 academic year in the online Pennsylvania State University-World Campus,
a 60% increase over the year before. The age group made up 21% of the entire
undergraduate online student body, a 3% increase over the 2012-13 school year,
according to Karen Pollack, assistant vice provost for the undergraduate online
and blended programs.
“Possibly
living at home, not paying room and board, having the flexibility that they can
work 10-15 hours a week to help fund their college education—that is their
reality,” Pollack said of the PSU-World Campus experience. “Given the
circumstances, it’s their best option.”
