Online education steaming ahead...

The recently published 2013 Horizon Report emphasized that online education remains a popular key trend in education delivery formats, of which the MOOC model sticks out in particular marking the future ahead.

Some online education statistics as stated in the infographic below (US market):
- 6,700.000 students enrolled in at least one online course (= 32% of all higher education enrolment)
- 3,000.000 students enrolled in a full-time online college
- 89% of public four-year universities and colleges offer online courses
- 72% completion rate for students who take online courses at a community college
- 10:1 ratio at which online colleges are growing compared to traditional colleges

MOOC statistics (US market):
- 2.6% of universities currently offer a MOOC
- 9.4% of universities have MOOCs in the planning stage
- 33,000+ students enrolled, on average, per class
- 2,000.000 approximate total enrolment across Coursera, edX, and Udacity

With regard to full-blown accreditation of MOOCs, the MOOC2DEGREE initiative represents a first step into the right direction. On the local horizon, IT Sligo will offer it's very own MOOC (a 6-week course in Lean Six Sigma Quality), Ireland's first, starting from September. However, no credits will be given.