Distance Ed Enrollment Trends: New Data, New Trends,...

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Distance Ed Enrollment Trends: New Data, New Trends, New Partnership 

April 19

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Welcome to #WCETWebcastApril 19, 2017

• The webcast will begin shortly.• There is no audio being broadcast at this time.

• An archive of this webcast will be available on the WCET website next week. 

digital learning C O M P A S S

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Goal: Be the definitive source of informationon the patterns and trends of

U.S. postsecondary distance learning.

Welcome!

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• Use the question box for questions and information exchange.

• Archive, PowerPoint, and Resources available next week.

• PowerPoint can be downloaded in the handouts pane. 

• Follow the Twitter feed: #WCETwebcast. 

Megan RaymondAssistant Director, Programs 

& SponsorshipWCET

mraymond@wiche.edu@meraymond

Overview

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IntroductionsDigital Learning Compass

Key Findings Audience Q&A

Conclusion

Questions from the Audience

• If you have a question during the presentation, please add your questions to the question box.  

• We will monitor the question box and have time for Q&A in the last part of the webcast.

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Moderator

Terri Taylor Straut•Senior Research 

Analyst•WCET

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Presenters

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Jeff Seaman•Co‐Director, Babson Survey Research Group•Co‐Director, Quahog 

Research Group

Phil Hill•Co‐publisher

•e‐Literate

Jeff Seaman

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•Co‐Director, Babson Survey Research Group•Co‐Director, Quahog 

Research Group

Setting the Stage

• Four years of data from 4,700+ IPEDS‐reporting institutions.

•Most comprehensive information available.• Supported by Pearson, OLC, Tyton Partners, NC‐SARA.

• Replaces previous Babson‐collected data (2004‐2012).• Covers IPEDS institutions:

•Degree‐granting.•Active.•Open to the public.

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The world is shrinking…

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20,928,443 20,680,352 20,508,530 20,266,367

0

2000000

4000000

6000000

8000000

10000000

12000000

14000000

16000000

18000000

20000000

22000000

2012 2013 2014 2015

OVERALL ENROLLMENT ‐ DEGREE‐GRANTING INSTITUTIONS ‐ 2012‐2015

Institutions are competing for a smaller pie. 

Question:  Given that overall enrollments are down for the past three years, what is happening to distance education enrollments?

•A) Down more than overall enrollments.•B) Down the same as overall enrollments.•C) Steady•D) Growing at same rate as previous years.•E) Growing faster than previous years.

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Distance is growing…

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Growth rate for 2014‐2015 greater than for previous years. 

2,633,515 2,701,684 2,855,198 2,902,756

2,791,891 2,909,867 2,940,532 3,119,349

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

2012 2013 2014 2015

DISTANCE ENROLLMENT ‐ DEGREE‐GRANTING INSTITUTIONS ‐ 2012‐2015

Some distance

Exclusively distance

Distance is growing…

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Over 6 Million (30% of all students) now taking courses at a distance

14%

16%

70%

PROPORTION OF STUDENTS TAKING DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES ‐ 2015

Exclusively in distance educationcoursesSome but not all distanceeducation coursesStudent not enrolled in anydistance education courses

Discussion

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Jeff Seaman•Co‐Director, Babson 

Survey Research Group

•Co‐Director, Quahog Research Group

Phil Hill•Co‐publisher

•e‐Literate

Terri Taylor Straut•Senior Research 

Analyst•WCET

Crossing the chasm with implications

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Public institutions are in the lead…

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Over two‐thirds of distance students are at public institutions

68%

18%

14%

TYPE OF INSTITUTION ‐ STUDENTS ENROLLED IN DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES ‐ 2015

Public

Private not‐for‐profit

Private for‐profit

Question:  Public institution have the largest distance enrollments, but who is growing the fastest?•1) Public institutions•2) Private non‐profit institutions•3) For‐profit institutions

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Private institutions are growing fastest…

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Largest percentage increase each of the last three years 

161,242

113,154

207,348

98,480 97,976109,469

‐73,577

‐27,281

‐90,442‐100,000‐80,000‐60,000‐40,000‐20,000

020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000140,000160,000180,000200,000220,000

YEAR‐TO‐YEAR CHANGE IN DISTANCE ENROLLMENTS ‐ DEGREE‐GRANTING INSTITUTIONS ‐2012‐2015

Public Private not‐for‐profit Private for‐profit

2013‐142014‐15

2012‐13

Question:  Overall  enrollments are down, distance enrollments are up – what does this mean for the number on on‐campus students?

•A) Small increase•B) Steady•C) Down by several hundred thousand•D) Down by more than several hundred thousand

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Final tidbit…

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On‐campus enrollments have dropped by almost a million students

18,294,928  17,978,668  17,653,332  17,363,611 

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

20,000,000

2012 2013 2014 2015

ON‐CAMPUS ENROLLMENTS ‐ DEGREE‐GRANTING INSTITUTIONS ‐ 2012‐2015

We should continue to see both non‐traditional (e.g. SNHU) and traditional institutions (e.g. U Florida) evolve and expand online offerings

•But with changes in overall competition for students.

•With demand for new pedagogical and student support models.

•And increasing demand for improved outcomes.

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Discussion

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Jeff Seaman•Co‐Director, Babson 

Survey Research Group

•Co‐Director, Quahog Research Group

Phil Hill•Co‐publisher

•e‐Literate

Terri Taylor Straut•Senior Research 

Analyst•WCET

Questions from the Audience

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Contact Information

Phil Hill: phil@mindwires.co @PhilOnEdTech

Jeff Seaman: jseaman@seagullhaven.com

Terri Taylor Straut: tstraut@wiche.edu

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Additional Information and Resources

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