The survey is designed, administered and analyzed by the Babson Survey Research Group, with data collection conducted in partnership with the College Board, and is sponsored in part by Pearson and the Online Learning Consortium.

Using responses from more than 2,800 colleges and universities, this study is aimed at answering fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education:

• Is Online Learning Strategic?
• Are Learning Outcomes in Online Comparable to Face-to-Face Learning?
• How Many Students are Learning Online?
• How are Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) faring?
• And much more...

This survey also reveals that in 2013:

• 7.1 million of higher education students are taking at least one online course.
• The 6.1 % growth rate represents over 400,000 additional students taking at least one online course.
• The percent of academic leaders rating the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those as in face-to-face instruction, grew from 57% in 2003 to 74% in 2013.
• The number of students taking at least one online course continued to grow at a rate far in excess of overall enrollments, but the rate was the lowest in a decade.

 

Previously underwritten by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the survey has been able to remain independent through the generous support of Pearson and the Online Learning Consortium (formerly the Sloan Consortium).