A new report identifies some of the biggest emerging trends in online learning as the growth of district-led online schools, the expansion of blended (or hybrid) learning, and the acceptance of mobile learning.
On blended learning, it defines what it calls a “buffet model,” in which a student takes traditional brick-and-mortar courses and also enrolls in one or more online courses, as well as an “emporium model,” in which face-to-face courses implement elements of online learning. Both models, it says, are growing.
In support of growth in mobile learning, the primer points to a 2007 survey that says devices such as netbooks, cellphones, smartphones, media players, and tablet computing devices will be the primary point of connectivity for Americans by 2020. The report was produced by iNACOL of Vienna, Va., an international group that promotes online learning.
