Getting on Board the Global Continuing Ed Trend

We live in an era where you can do many things remotely that you could never do before - shopping, dating, and even learning.

With advancements in technology we now have new opportunities for learning online, giving students the chance to pick up skills remotely. Not only is this a growing trend at the undergraduate level, but also for continued learning after college. Gone are the days where college graduates could expect to finish their degree and never have to learn anything new again.

The educational technology (edtech) industry is booming. In the first half of 2019 alone, investment in edtech startups reached almost $1 billion, according to EdSurge. This signals that it’s not only here to stay - but likely to continue growing into the next decade.

How did this trend start? Let’s take a look.

History

The rise of the Internet in the early 1990s opened new doors for research and communication. As a result of this, edtech began to advance as well. Computers in classrooms and at home enabled students to play educational games, such as the Oregon Trail, advancing their history, reading, and math skills in the digital space. Some institutions also created online forums where students could post responses and share files, allowing them to interact and learn collaboratively - and remotely.

Internet usage has continued to grow, this year reaching 57 percent of the world’s population. Technology is no longer reserved for computer science students in university labs - tech-savvy and non-tech savvy users alike obtain information easily with just a tap of a finger or click of a mouse. Similarly, education is now accessible to a wider audience than ever before - and the demand is growing.

Online Learning vs. College

Remote learning, however, isn’t just popular because of technology advancement. For many, it’s also a welcome alternative amidst the rising cost of education. In 2019, the average cost of tuition alone (not including living costs) at in-state, public U.S. universities is $10,116, according to U.S. News and World Report. This number doubles for public, out-of-state universities, at $22,577, and rises even further for private institutions at $36,801.

Online learning has provided a more cost-effective and convenient way to learn for many students. They can complete coursework without having to move to another location (incurring further costs), and in some cases, even continue to work a job while they complete their degree. These programs are also typically cheaper than tuition at a university since they don’t have the overhead costs that a brick-and-mortar location does. This is particularly true of computer science degrees - now, coding knowledge is more accessible with coding bootcamps such as Nucamp, which offer aspiring coders a project-based curriculum at a fraction of the cost of a CS degree.

The high return on investment of online learning has been a game changer. In 2018, the proportion of all students who were enrolled exclusively online grew to 15.4 percent (up from 14.7 percent in 2016), according to Inside Higher Ed. The means about one in every six students in the U.S. is enrolled in online education courses. These numbers are expected to continue growing in the 2020s.

Freshening Skills & Switching Careers

Tech advancements have also provided users with the opportunity for continued learning and professional development outside of their degree. This has, in part, been by demand. Changes in tech across industries mean employers are regularly looking for professional development opportunities to keep their employees’ skills fresh. Platforms like LinkedIn and Udemy emerged as a solution to this growing demand for professional development, again offering additional skills at a fraction of the cost of an additional degree.

Continued learning has also made career switches easier than before, as the remote nature of these courses lets students complete their coursework while still working in their current job. This has led to the rise of bootcamps, or accelerated programs that condense material into a short amount of time so students can hit the ground running in their next role quickly. For example, Nucamp’s coding bootcamp coursework is almost entirely online, paired with once-weekly localized workshops where students can collaborate with peers and instructors. With their focus on application-based skills, these bootcamps give students the skills they need to jump into a new job market more quickly and cost-effectively than ever before.

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