Surprisingly, the history of eLearning had its humble beginnings in 1924 with the introduction of Sidney Pressey’s “teaching machine.”

Now in the wake of a pandemic, which has forced billions to reevaluate the way in which they learn and teach, eLearning has been forced into the spotlight.

So to get a better picture of where eLearning is heading, looking back on the history of eLearning can teach us some valuable lessons and give a unique insight into the growing industry. Let’s get started!

Complete History Of eLearning From 1924 – 2024

1924: Sidney L. Pressey makes the first teaching machine

Sidney Pressey was a psychology professor at Ohio State University who is credited as the first person in the history of eLearning to have built a ‘teaching machine’ in 1924. However, given the technology of the time, this machine was nothing like what we have today.

The teaching machine was essentially a guided MCQ-solving device for students. It would show questions to a student who would have to select the correct answer from 4 given choices. Until the student actually made the correct selection, the machine would not move on to the next question.

As it turns out, this machine was not received warmly by the educational world of the time.

1954: B. F. Skinner builds another teaching machine

30 years after Sidney, B. F. Skinner, a psychology professor from Harvard, invented another teaching machine of his own. He had utilized his own reinforcement theory to design the machine, according to which a behavior is repeated by people and children based on whether it is positively or negatively reinforced.

Skinner’s machine was also mechanical in nature and presented a varied list of questions to a student one at a time. The student would write down the response on a piece of paper and be able to move on if the answer was correct.

1950’s: Radio is widely used to teach

As more people in the early twentieth century started tuning in to the radio and making it their primary source of entertainment, institutions began to realize the role it could play in furthering education.

As a result, a number of programs began broadcasting that would teach students and adults alike on subjects like religion, progressive political ideas, current global events, economics, science, and even hobby projects. 

Through this novel platform, people could access new ideas that were not to be found in the textbooks they studied in their schools.

1960: First computer-based training session is introduced

In 1960, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne introduced PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) to the world. It was a generalized teaching computer meant to assist in teaching and even provide purely computer-based training for the first time.

The program carried on for the next four decades during which it saw a number of modern features like emails, message boards, and context-based assessment get tested on it in their primitive forms. At its peak in the 1970s, there were several thousand terminals of PLATO spread around the world.

1966: C. A. I. debuts in schools

By this time, the idea of using teaching machines for Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) had taken off. Patrick Suppes and Richard Atkinson, psychology professors at Stanford, started teaching math and reading to children in the Palo Alto elementary schools using computers.

Around the same time, Bernard Luskin, the renowned media psychologist, began collaborating with Stanford engineers and professors to bring versatile teaching machines to schools.

1968: The University of Alberta starts using IBM 1500 to teach online

In 1968, the Medicine Department at the University of Alberta made use of IBM’s 1500, a network of computers that could share information (a primitive form of the internet) to administer courses to a range of students. This was arguably the first impression of modern-day online learning in the history of eLearning.

More than 20,000 individuals were taught around 17 classes in total through this network of computers. The framework allowed teachers to send coursework, receive back responses, and grade assignments remotely.

1969: ARPANET sets up the internet

The ARPANET, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (back then people had a strange knack for acronyms) was the forerunner of the ‘internet’ that we know and depend on today. 

In 1969, it was tasked to set up the internet, a much wider-area network that would be made available to enterprises and individuals alike and would be based on secure protocols. This can be hailed as the most crucial piece of technology in the history of eLearning, since it eliminated the issue of massive geographical distances.

It truly paved the way for modern-day eLearning.

1970: Computer mouse and GUIs are invented

Nowadays, we just assume that a computer is incomplete without a keyboard (physical or virtual) and some form of pointing device like a mouse. However, prior to 1970, there really was no such technology, and navigating computers was a difficult task.

The invention of the mouse and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) made using a computer so much more convenient, and opened the door to the proliferation of computers. For the first time in history, it was now possible for people to use computers at their homes without much hassle, and this is another foundation of eLearning.

1976: Open University starts its CICERO program

The Open University made two contributions that have come a long way in our age. The first was its CICERO program through which it offered ‘online’ courses using the internet that could earn you credit.

Secondly, it developed the Cyclops whiteboard system, which is best described as Skype or Google Talk of that age. It allowed a limited form of teleconferencing possible through which education could be furthered.

1976: World’s first fully remote online community college starts functioning

The Coastline Community College was established in 1976 as the world’s first college that catered to the needs of distance learning. It had several ‘mini-campuses’ which hosted and administered online courses to students in a number of arts and vocational training fields.

Although the college now offers on-campus education as well, it was the first one in the history of eLearning to offer a completely ‘online’ degree through self-directed learning.

1980’s: The MAC allows people to learn-from-home

Apple’s very first Mac, called the Macintosh 128K, was the first real iteration of a personal computer that could be kept at home and easily used to do a number of things. With the introduction of the PC as we know it, a new era of accessibility ensued.

People started sharing information across the internet which was available to everyone who had a Mac at their home. You could surf websites from the comfort of your home and learn about any topic you could find on the internet.

1990’s: The world welcomes digital natives

Spread by the consultant Marc Prensky, the term ‘digital natives’ came to recognize all the people who were getting born in the new digital age, and who had access to these technologies while growing up.

Why is this something to mention? This is because these generations grew up with that technology and thus developed a strong intuition of its use, feeling as if this was always an essential part of life. This was not the case for digital immigrants, who had to adopt this technology and adapt to it.

1995: Learning Management Systems begin to spread

With the computer and internet becoming such important players in the field of education, people started to use Learning Management Systems (LMS) to support and enhance learning on a large scale.

Universities and schools used LMS to track student records, attendance, exams, grades, and even administer notices and fee vouchers. Blackboard turned out to be a pioneer in this field and developed a successful LMS package that is used by 75% of colleges and universities in the USA.

1999: The term ‘eLearning’ is coined

In 1999, this growing phenomenon of people learning through computers, getting online degrees and using the internet to spread education finally got itself a name: eLearning.

The name was put forward by Elliott Masie, a researcher, and educator who used the term in a conference on CBT Systems. Ever since the name has stuck and has now impacted the lives of millions of people around the world.

2000’s: Businesses start using eLearning to train employees

Around the start of the twenty-first century, eLearning was picked up by increasing numbers of businesses who found it to be an effective way of training new employees or helping older ones refresh and improve their skills.

Instead of investing in pricey seminars and workshops, companies could host all of their learning material on an internal intranet where it could be accessed by the employees. Employees would have a training plan which would guide them regarding what they would have to learn through the platform.

Almost every company in the world now resorts to eLearning for employee learning and development.

2001: MIT launches its OpenCourseWare project

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) made a gigantic first step in making high-quality educational resources freely open to the public by launching the ‘proof-of-concept’ website of its OpenCourseWare project.

The website contained 50 courses that included video lectures and assignments from MIT’s top professors. Since it was backed by the Creative-Commons license, anyone could watch, download, share, and edit the material based on their needs.

As of 2016, there were 2 million visits every month to the OCW website, which has become a popular resource of online learning.

2010: Udemy is founded

Udemy, one of the world’s largest and most popular online course platforms was founded in 2010 by a trio of Turkish professionals. Although it started out small, it ushered in a novel eLearning business model that has catapulted it to great heights of success.

As of January 2020, over 57,000 teachers and giving online courses to more than 50 million global students in more than 65 languages.

Students can browse a never-ending catalog of courses on the website and buy them to get full lifetime access, hours of video lectures, practice questions, and certificates of completion.

2010’s: The age of social learning ensues

With the wildfire-like spread of social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn, learning has now become a widely available resource. Nowadays, people are found scratching their heads while deciding what they should learn instead of worrying about how they should learn something.

From short-form blogs, twitter threads, and one-minute videos, to hour-long documentaries and bite-sized courses, learning is now available in a number of different forms, each suited to a different kind of person. 

Couple this with successive generations that are completely steeped in social media, and you have students who learn more online than they do in school.

2020: COVID-19 forces education online

The COVID-19 outbreak was the first event in a long time that dealt a real blow to traditional classroom-based training and openly exposed the limitations of this form of learning. 

With lockdowns getting implemented all over the world to curb the spread of the virus, students of all ages found themselves stuck at home with education having been brought to a complete halt.

In this testing time, parents and educational institutions alike were forced to consider and adopt the alternative, i.e. of eLearning. In a short span of time, students starting attending live online classrooms where a teacher would be teaching from her home using teaching software.

Because of the pandemic, the world has come to see the versatility and benefits of eLearning, and this has already convinced a lot of people that this is now the way forward.

Below is a quick snapshot of the progression and history of eLearning, plus key milestones.

• 1924: Sidney L. Pressey makes the first teaching machine
• 1954: B. F. Skinner builds another teaching machine
• 1950’s: Radio is widely used to teach
• 1960: First computer-based training session is introduced
• 1966: C. A. I. debuts in schools
• 1968: The University of Alberta starts using IBM 1500 to teach online
• 1969: ARPANET sets up the internet
• 1970: Computer mouse and GUIs are invented
• 1976: Open University starts its CICERO program
• 1980’s: The MAC allows people to learn-from-home
• 1990’s: The world welcomes digital natives
• 1995: Learning Management Systems begin to spread
• 1999: The term ‘eLearning’ is coined
• 2000’s: Businesses start using eLearning to train employees
• 2001: MIT launches its OpenCourseWare project
• 2010: Udemy is founded
• 2010’s: The age of social learning ensues
• 2020: COVID-19 forces education online

References:

1. https://www.talentlms.com/elearning/history-of-elearning
2. https://www.efrontlearning.com/blog/2013/08/a-brief-history-of-elearning-infographic.html
3. http://icdtranslation.com/history-of-elearning/
4. https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540sept12/2012/10/28/1687/
5. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/experts/bernard-j-luskin-edd-mft
6. https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/education-giant-blackboard-buys-myedu-to-help-refresh-its-brand-and-reanimate-its-user-experience/

Although e-learning has spread its roots far and wide, very few people are aware that there are various types of e-learning.

So if you’ve ever wanted to expand your knowledge about e-learning, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, I will list down the ten different types of e-learning models that are widely used, and discuss benefits and examples of each so that you can put everything into perspective.

Once you’ve finished reading this article, you will be able to identify different forms of e-learning as you encounter them and intuitively figure out the best e-learning mode for a particular situation.

Let’s get started!

10+ Different Types of e-Learning And What’s Best For Your Online Learning Style

Below is a quick snapshot of all the different types of e-learning in 2024:

1. Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI)

Remember Microsoft’s Encarta? The famous multimedia-based encyclopedia program is a prime example of Computer Assisted Instruction, or CAI. To put it more formally, CAI is the use of computer-based tools such as pictures, text, animations, and simulations to supplement and improve traditional classroom teaching.

CAI made it into the classroom ever since the first microcomputers were invented in the 1970s, and has since been taking over increasingly large roles. Today, examples of CAI include drill-and-practice programs that help students repeatedly practice a skill in order to master it, such as basic arithmetic puzzles. 

• Self-paced learning
• Real-time feedback
• Explanations for mistakes
• Huge repository of knowledge available at fingertips

Another example is that of animations and simulations such as ANSYS, a software that can help engineers living in a far-off corner of the world observe the behavior of the propulsion liquids blowing out of a rocket’s exhaust in space.

CAI has gained popularity because of numerous advantages. It is based on self-paced learning, allowing every student to cover content at a pace matching their own ability, instead of a common speed dictated by a teacher. 

It also provides real-time feedback, highlighting, and explaining mistakes immediately for the student to learn from. However, CAI is not without its limitations. Learning through CAI can at times become too mechanical and intimidating given the wealth of resources now available.

2. Computer Managed Learning (CML)

At first glance, Computer Managed Learning, or CML, may seem like just another name for CAI. However, there is a subtle difference between the two types of e-learning. 

Whereas you should think of CAI as a computer teaching curriculum content directly to a student, CML should create a picture of a teacher sitting in front of a computer, analyzing the performance trends of her students over the past months, and preparing her lesson plans accordingly.

In short, CML encompasses the use of a computer to improve the learning process without actually doing any of the teachings. A very simple example of this is a teacher recording the monthly results of her students in Microsoft Excel. After several months of compilation, the teacher generates a trend of the grades for her students, identifying worrying (or encouraging) patterns of performance.

• Teachers focus on improving the quality of lessons
• Observe long-term trends
• Plan effective interventions
• Store a lot of data
• Saves time

If she finds that her students have been generally performing worse in the most recent months, she may decide to slow down the pace of her teaching and spend a lot more time building concepts.

CML is beneficial in that it helps teachers look at long-term trends and track a lot of information conveniently, ultimately making better lesson plans and briefs. This helps the entire class learn each subject at a suitable pace. 

One major drawback of CML, however, is that it makes it difficult to zoom in on individual under-performing students and cater to the plans based on their unique needs.

3. Asynchronous Online Learning

Asynchronous learning allows people to acquire new skills and learn new subjects that revolve around one’s lifestyle. One of the biggest examples of this type of e-learning is that of online courses, which can be found on many platforms like Udemy and Coursera.

However, this originally started off in September 2002, when MIT started the pilot for its OpenCourseWare project, releasing 32 courses to the public, ready to be streamed and watched whenever one wanted to. Since then, online courses have only become more popular with every year.

• Learn at your own schedule
• Re-watch content as many times as you want
• Consult additional resources
• Carefully prepare responses

The biggest benefit of this form of learning is that it gives you the freedom to take your time. You can re-watch content as many times as you want to understand it clearer, and search for additional facts and mull over points before asking carefully-worded questions to lecturers. 

On the flip side, however, it takes away the spirit of collaborative learning and teamwork that is fostered when everyone is learning together, in real-time.

4. Synchronous Online Learning

If you are a school-going student (or the parent of one) and have lived through the current COVID-19 lockdowns, you have already experienced synchronous online learning firsthand. 

As the word ‘synchronous’ suggests, in this type of e-learning, participants are engaged in learning in real-time all at the same time. This is normally facilitated through tools like video-conferencing, chats, and ‘online classrooms’ such as Google Classroom.

This method of learning has not been popular for the past several decades because it cannot replicate the scenario of an actual traditional classroom with everyone being physically present.

• Everyone participates in real-time
• Students remain motivated
• Remote-learning
• Use supplementary tools like videos

Therefore, it has mostly been used by companies seeking to make global announcements or train its employees who are living in different parts of the world. Of late, however, the COVID-19 lockdowns have given a tremendous surge to this method with schools, colleges, and universities switching over to synchronous online learning to continue education.

The strength of this method lies in how it encourages a collaborative learning environment in which everyone participates in real-time. This ‘community of learners’ helps to keep all participants motivated and engaged. 

The area where this stumbles is its lack of flexibility since it requires everyone to be present at a fixed time and demands that all participants have reliable, high-speed internet, or risk getting disconnected and left out.

5. Adaptive E-Learning

The concept of adaptive e-learning is centered on the realization that every student has unique educational needs. Some students learn at a rapid pace and are capable of ‘jumping’ through classes, whereas others need extra hours and repeated instruction to learn the same concepts.

Adaptive e-learning systems change themselves to meet the needs of the student, making sure the student is learning at the optimum rate and utilizing their maximum potential.

If we look back at history, we notice that there have always been old ‘adaptive’ methods: think about the child prodigy who skips a number of grades and gets into university at the age of 12. 

• Students learn at an optimum rate
• Slow learners get extra attention
• Difficulty levels can be changed
• Reduces teacher intervention (saves time)

However, with e-learning systems, this has become easier to implement. Students can now choose between ‘difficulty levels’ based on their ability to learn, with choices ranging from easy to hard. More advanced types of e-learning systems are able to accurately identify the exact weaknesses of each student and tailor questions, quizzes, and content to fill in those holes.

The benefits of such a system are self-evident: it makes sure that students are not being unfairly pressured into learning at a rate they are not comfortable with, and neither are prodigious students being held back because the teacher has to carry the entire class along. 

At the same time, developing systems that can offer unique and personalized experiences is a difficult task for software engineers.

6. Linear E-Learning

There is no point in studying advanced electrical networks without knowing anything about the underlying mathematics and differential equations, is there? Yet, many people, when they get enrolled in e-learning courses, make the mistake of skipping over parts that seem boring, tedious, or downright uninteresting.

‘Linear’ e-learning, on the other hand, structures the content in a concise, organized, and step-by-step manner, starting with the foundational topics before moving on to more advanced concepts.

• Starts from foundations
• Ideal for beginners
• Long-form documentaries can be made
• Organized content

The biggest feature is that it does not allow participants to skip through any material. Think of an educational program on the television or radio – you cannot interact with it in any way, fast-forward it, or skip anything. You have to watch the entire thing.

This method of learning is particularly useful when an e-learning course is targeted towards complete beginners because it makes sure they spend the necessary time going through the foundations. 

On the other hand, you would never want to structure a course in a linear manner if you know that its audience will consist of more experienced individuals who would just want to study a particular topic.

7. Fixed E-Learning

You can think of fixed learning as when traditionally a teacher prepares a lesson and teaches all the students exactly the same thing, in the same manner, and at the same pace. In short, the content is fixed. This is the other extreme of adaptive learning, in which the content molds itself to suit the needs of each student.

• Suitable for very large audiences
• Ensures every student covers every topic
• Saves time for teacher

Examples of fixed e-learning include lectures uploaded on sites like YouTube. Even though you can watch them any time you want, you are still restricted to whatever the teacher is describing in a particular lecture, and you have to follow along.

This method of learning is increasingly being relegated to the annals of history. Although it makes the actual teaching part easier for instructors because they just need to prepare one lesson at a time, this form severely disadvantages students who have different needs from each other and would fare much better with a more adaptive system.

8. Collaborative Online Learning

Collaborative online learning takes advantage of the fact that when a group of people come together, use their strengths to complement each other’s weaknesses, and work towards a common goal, they are able to achieve a lot more than if they were just working separately.

Think back to all the group projects that you have done (or are currently doing), you will notice how the dynamics evolved so that everyone was contributing to the goal with what they were good at. 

• Students identify strengths and weaknesses
• Learn to work in a team
• Develop resourcefulness
• Learn time management

The resourceful ones were gathering information and lining up resources, the technically savvy were building the frameworks, and the marketers were making branding strategies. Besides reaching the goal, all participants developed strong teamwork and communication skills.

This kind of learning is a hallmark of our traditional learning systems and can be very well adapted to the online ecosystem. With applications like Slack and Asana, ‘e-collaboration’ has already become a reality. It is not uncommon to see a team of students from different parts of the world collaborating together and chasing after a common goal.

9. Interactive Online Learning

Interactive online learning adds the missing link in linear e-learning: input from the receiver. Whereas in linear e-learning the receiver has no control over the content, interactive online learning gives the receiver the power to choose the topics, the difficulty level, and provide feedback that goes into improving or adapting the system.

You have experienced interactive online learning if you’ve switched the subtitles in an online course video to a language you are more familiar with or left a review about a certain video that has some frustrating errors. 

• Flexibility to modify the mode of delivery
• More effective learning
• Higher engagement with learning material
• Saves time for experts who want to focus on one thing

Changing the playback speed of a video to suit your preferences is yet another example of interactive online learning making life easier for online learners.

As compared to its linear counterpart, interactive online learning injects a level of freedom into online learning that helps students improve the effectiveness of their learning, and raise their level of engagement with the platform. 

However, with greater customization comes the risk that students will not go through all the important videos and set the course up in a way that gives them incomplete education.

10. Individual Online Learning

The last type of e-learning I cover is individual online learning, which approach has been around for as long as learning itself. It simply involves an individual studying and learning on his own and putting in his own effort to accomplish his goals. 

Contrary to collaborative learning, this type of e-learning requires participants to utilize their strengths and find a way to not let their weaknesses hold them back.

• Simplest form of teaching
• Not hampered by poor internet
• Students benefit from social interaction
• Not restricted by a strict curriculum

Traditional classroom teaching is a prime example of individual learning at play. If we look at the online world, every session which does not involve a group of people coming together to divide and conquer a goal is one based on individual online learning.

This method is nowhere short of its own benefits since it allows for greater flexibility with time and schedule and gives freedom to pursue directions that you choose yourself. The downside is that it leaves a lot of potential untapped, and limits the level of creativity and ideation that normally comes through from a collaborative environment.

Conclusion

That’s all folks! That wraps up my list of the different types of e-learning and how individuals, schools, universities, and businesses are taking advantage of this new industry. To learn more, you can see my guide on what e-Learning is, plus the pros and cons.

References:

1. https://wikieducator.org/Computer_Assisted_Instruction_(CAI)
2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/computer-assisted-instruction
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3029349/
4. https://www.encyclopedia.com/computing/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/computer-managed-instruction
5. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2008/11/asynchronous-and-synchronous-elearning
6. https://www.easy-lms.com/knowledge-center/lms-knowledge-center/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-learning/item10387
7. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2008/11/asynchronous-and-synchronous-elearning
8. https://thebestschools.org/magazine/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-education/
9. https://www.iadlearning.com/adaptive-e-learning/#:~:text=Technology,goal%20of%20maximizing%20their%20performance.
10. https://blog.commlabindia.com/elearning-design/adaptive-learning-in-elearning
11. https://elearningindustry.com/7-tips-find-niche-elearning-freelancer
12. https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/the-5-worst-types-of-elearning-courses-fix-them
13. www.shapers.nl/e-learning-explained
14. https://elearningindustry.com/collaborative-online-learning-activities-reasons-effective
15. https://www.quora.com/What-is-interactive-e-Learning
16. https://www.foresttrailacademy.com/how-online-learning-is-helping-foster-individualized-learning.html

While many relate eLearning to job seekers and personal development, there are now thousands of corporations and companies using eLearing for upskilling their workforce effectivly, afforadbly, and remotly.

Also in the wake of a global pandemic, more companies are seeing the benefits of eLearning and how it can help their business stay agile in these uncertain times.

Below, you will find some of the largest eLearning platforms that are deliverying these courses, along with some top companies and how they are currently using eLearning. Let’s get started!

59+ Companies Using eLearning + Providers 2024

1. Udemy

Founded in 2010, Udemy has seen massive growth as an eLearning platform and as of August 2020, boasts over 150,000 courses on its platform that have generated 295 million enrollments. Considering the numbers, it is no surprise that you will find a course on almost every subject that you can imagine.

On Udemy, instructors are able to develop full courses that include videos, pdfs, zip files, exercises, and online discussion boards. These courses are then sold as products to students, who receive full lifetime access upon making a purchase. 

The platform offers access to a curated suite of 4000+ high quality courses for over 5000 corporate customers, with extra features like actionable insights and admin functionality. Here is a list of companies using eLearning through Udemy:

• AKKA
• Adidas
• Booking.com
• Ellation
• General Mills
• IDC
• ITX
• Kaiser Permanente
• Lyft
• Malwarebytes
• Pinterest
• Sapient
• Survey Monkey
• TBC Corporation
• Tetrasoft
• TrustArc
• Valin Corporation
• Vendini
• Volkswagen
• WORLDPAC

2. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning started off in 1995 as Lynda.com, a low-functionality online course-provider which was acquired in 2015 by LinkedIn for a deal worth $1.5 billion. As of March 2020, more than 17 million users have taken its business, creative, and technology-related courses.

Students who acquire the LinkedIn premium license via a monthly subscription can access all of its courses that include video lectures, exercises, projects, and community learning groups.

LinkedIn Learning also provides Business Solutions to its corporate clients that include 78 of the Fortune 100 companies. You can easily reach out to a learning solutions consultant to get a customized eLearning solution developed that suits your organization. Here is the list of companies using eLearning via LinkedIn Learning:

• Arcadia University
• Bank of America
• Autodesk
• Alliance Data
• C. H. Robinson
• Cramer-Krasselt
• Deltek
• Durham University
• EY
• Ferguson
• Hilltop Securities
• Kellogg’s
• Penton
• Salesforce
• Fit
• Sportsbet.com.au
• Time Warner Cable
• Web Fleet Solutions
• Virginia Tech
• Zillow Group

3. Pluralsight

Pluralsight, founded in 2004, is another online eLearning giant that currently has over 1,500 subject matter experts that have developed more than 6,500 courses for Pluralsight’s platform. 

A monthly subscription allows students to access these courses that include videos, quizzes, and interviews from industry experts. The courses are focused towards technology, software, and creative professionals.

Pluralsight has established itself as a leading player in the corporate training industry, offering customized solutions to 70% of Fortune 500 companies. As of August 2020, it has more than 17,700 business accounts on its platforms. Here is the list of companies that prefer to use Pluralsight:

• Acxiom
• Andela
• AppDirect
• ATOS
• CDK Global
• CloudHealth
• DealerSocket
• Dimension Data
• Frontier Software
• Fujitsu
• HelloFresh
• Homie
• Johnson Controls
• Marsh & McLennan Companies
• NASDAQ
• Nomura
• Teach For America
• Telefonica
• UST Global
• VMWare

How Companies Are Currently Using eLearning

Now that you’ve explored three of the top eLearning platforms on the internet, let us now dive into how some of the top companies make use of eLearning in their L&D programs!

1. Adidas Group

With more than 51,000 employees around the globe, Germany-based giant Adidas had to think carefully about how it trained its workforce, and thus introduced a unique L&D solution – the Group Learning Campus.

This new initiative consists of video lectures, e-books, pdfs, and a wide range of social and interactive learning materials which all employees can access any time they want. Employees receive ‘recommendations’ and have the option to rate and review content on the platform.

As a result of this, employee engagement and skills have gone up, bringing improved performance for the management and company.

2. Shell

Shell is an oil and gas giant that has 92,000 employees spread across 70 countries, and has developed its online eLearning platform called the Shell Open University. Every employee has full access to the learning materials on the platform that include video lectures, e-books, webcasts, and technical guides. 

Employees can learn about the technical as well as commercial subjects, evaluating their capabilities as they complete the programs. Shell also reimburses any extra time or money spent in L&D which is not catered to sufficiently by their own corporate curriculum.

This has helped Shell improve the performance of its employees from all around the world.

3. Toyota

Toyota is yet another major company that has 51 manufacturing facilities in 28 countries that employ a total of 340,000 employees. To facilitate the L&D of these employees, it has developed its own Learning Management System (LMS) which upgraded to its latest version in 2013.

Through this platform, it has trained up to 18,000 engineers and motor technicians by providing over 150 classes for its certified technical staff. With the latest version of its LMS, it has removed the need for re-certification by implementing continuous training. It also has a library of non-technical learning materials for its retail outlets and distributors. 

4. PayPal

PayPal is a leading American company in the global online payments sector, and one that has fully embraced eLearning for its employees in many ways. Adopting an unconventional approach, PayPal uses social media like Twitter and Facebook to train its employees by inviting experts to give short lessons in private groups.

Other than that, it has also utilized Udemy for Business, making 4,000+ courses accessible to its employees for self-paced learning. As a result of this, it has been able to reduce its L&D expenses by 25%, and now has employees who complete a minimum of 2 courses every 6 months.

5. Pitney Bowes

A mailing services and equipment supplier, Pitney Bowes falls just short of being in the Fortune 500 and yet employs more than 14,000 people worldwide. To train its workforce (especially its distributed engineering team), it has made use of Udemy for Business.

Every employee has full lifetime access to the top Udemy courses which include not only those related to their technical roles, but also courses related to personal and professional development. They can easily take quizzes after completing the courses to test their newly acquired skills.

Evidently, the bug of eLearning has spread like wildfire in Pitney Bowes, with 84% of the employees now resorting to eLearning to upgrade their skills.

6. Booking.com

Booking.com has been providing online accommodations reservation services since 1996. Being a tech company, it very quickly realized the importance of eLearning and implemented a custom-made solution for its employees which included online classes and tutoring.

As a result, amateurs and beginners who join its workforce are able to quickly improve their technical skills and grow professionally. This has reduced the number of people who end up leaving the company after a few years because they remain engaged and continue to learn new skills with every passing year.

7. Verint

Verint is a software and hardware solutions company which works in the customer engagement and information security industry. The company found itself struggling to train its EMEA-based sales workers and had to accept low KPIs for a number of years.

Luckily, they were able to leverage the powers of ‘gamification’ in eLearning, creating quizzes and blended learning sessions in a way that made the employees feel like they were playing a game and sparked engagement and teamwork. 

Not only did this allow its sales employees to understand the product much better, the company’s KPIs experienced a growth of 300% in just several months of time.

8. Lyft

Lyft is a growing transportations company which was launched in 2012 and conducts its business via a ride-hailing app. It is among the list of companies using eLearning that tried different approaches towards L&D (which failed) before zeroing in on eLearning solutions.

Now, it has delegated training decisions to its managers, who use their preferred platform of choice to train their teams. Employees are expected to take up courses depending on whether they have to upgrade their current skills or acquire new ones.

Newly inducted employees are kept on an onboarding platform so that their L&D can be managed appropriately. In the future, Lyft aims to upload all of its ‘all-hands’ meetings and corporate events online to make them available throughout the day.

9. Crouse Hospital

One of central New York’s largest employers, Crouse Hospital has over 2,700 workers which serve 250,000 patients every year. Tired of its time and effort-intensive paper-based L&D program, it implemented eLearning in 2015 in a bid to save time and costs and improve learning.

Its students can now study healthcare-related material online whenever they want from the comfort of their homes, and administrators can conveniently track their progress, create and manage classes, and generate reports.

This proved to be a success, with a lot of the saved time allowing employees to focus on other, more important responsibilities.

10. Colorado State University – Global Campus

Although the platform itself is an eLearning solution, Colorado State University’s Global Campus implemented the same change inside its own administration teams, ‘gamifying’ its daily tasks and responsibilities.

Employees would now be completing the same tasks as before but now they would do so as if playing a game and completing quests. This proved to be a highly engaging and attractive method, and resulted in improved job effectiveness, employee satisfaction, and engagement.

A useful outcome of this has also been that employees are inadvertently improving their specific skillsets through increased engagement. To learn more, you can also see my guide on the benefits and disadvantages of eLearning.

If you are after a MASSIVE comparison list of the best online course websites in 2024, you’re in the right place!

And when I say massive, I really mean it!

Below, you will find a huge comparison table of all the top online learning sites that offer high-quality video courses, cohort-based courses, live classes, workshops, training, and even degrees.

As an added bonus, many of these sites allow you to take many of their courses/ classes for free with no upfront cost. Let’s get started!

65+ Of The Best Online Course Websites In 2024 [Free + Paid]

Provider	Courses	Strengths	Cert	Price
Skillshare	29,000+	Design & Business		30-Day Free Trial
LinkedIn Learning	15,000+	Programming & Business		1-Month Free Trial
Skill Success	1,000+	IT & Finance		$7/mo (Exclusive deal)
Udemy	100,000+	Design & Programming		Free - $249
Coursera	3,500+	Engineering & Programming		Free - $79
Synthesis School	5+	Ambitious Kids		$127/mos for weekly sessions
MasterClass	80+	Lifestyle & Arts		$180/ year
Brilliant	60+	Math & Science		7-Day Free Trial
Domestika	1,000+	Art & Design		$15 - $100
CreativeLive	1,500+	Arts & Design		Free - $199
edX	2,500+	Engineering & Programming		Free - $349
FutureLearn	2,400	IT & Business		Free - $379
Fiverr Courses	50+	Marketing & SEO		Free - $300
Udacity	30+	IT & AI		Free - $1500
Lambda School	4+	Data Science & Web Development		Free + 17% of 2 years Salary, Capped at 30K
Khan Academy	2,000+	Maths & Science		Free
Alison	1,350+	IT & Science		Free & Paid
Treehouse	300+	Web Design & Game Dev		7-Day Free Trial
freeCodeCamp	700+	Coding & Programming		Free
Google Digital Garage	130+	Digital Marketing & Business		Free
HarvardX	860+	Engineering & Humanities		Free - $5,000
Codecademy	100+	Python, Java, Go, C++		Free - $19/mo
Pluralsight	200+	Tech & Programming		10-Day Free Trial
Egghead	600+	Javascript		$40/mo
Saylor	100+	Business & Economics		Free
Shaw Academy	50+	Design & Business		$69/mo
Steezy	20+	Dance		$8.33/mo
Simplilearn	100+	IT & Big Data		$79 - $3,500
Datacamp	330+	Programming & Data Science		$25/mo
Justin Guitar	200+	Guitar		Free
Microsoft Learn	30+	Azure & Programming		Free + Paid
BitDegree	900+	Blockchain & Business		Free - $20
Creativebug	1,000+	Arts & Crafts		$7.95/mo
OpenClassroms	1,000+	HR & Development		$20/mo
Springboard	100+	UX & Data Science		$2,000+
Code.org	50+	Coding & Programming		Free
Hubspot Academy	300+	Marketing		Free
Career Foundry	10+	UX & Data Analyst		$2,000+
CBT Nuggets	50+	IT		$59/mo
Drawspace	40+	Drawing		$4.74/mo
OpenLearning	270+	Programming & Law		$50/mo
University Of The People	100+	Business & Computer Science		Free
Memrise	200+	Languages		$9/mo
SuperHi	30+	Web Design & Coding		$149+
Skillcrush	10+	Coding & Design		$160/mo
Canvas	50+	Humanities		Free
PHP Kingdom	25+	PHP & UI		$400+
GoSkills	70+	Programming		$39/mo
Facebook Blueprint	400+	Facebook Marketing		Free
Tuts+	1,200+	Web Design		$16.50/mo
CakeFlix	1,200+	Cake Making		$29/mo
Gymnasium	100+	Web Dev & Design		Free
Academic Earth	500+	Business & Marketing		Free
Mindvalley	40+	Mindfulness		$599/yr
Oxford Home Study	290+	Business & Finance		Free - $1,000
Cognitive Class	100+	Data Science		Free
Code Avengers	50+	Coding		$25/mo
Duolingo	50+	Languages		$9.99/mo
W3Schools	100+	Coding		Free
General Assembly	20+	Web Development		$1,000+
Bloc	5+	Web Development		$1,000/mo
Maven	100+	Creator Economy		$500-$3,000/course
Reforge	12+	Entrepreneur		$2,000/yr for 2 courses
Section4	20+	MBA Alternative		$995/yr unlimited classes
On Deck	3	Founders		$5,000/yr course + community
AltMBA	1	Leaders		$4,450/ 1 mos course

My Favourite Top 5 Online Course Websites

As you can see from the above comparison table, there is an endless amount on online course sites to choose from. So if you are after some recommendations, here are my favorite picks.

1. Skillshare

• Price: 2-week free trial 
• Courses available: 28,000+
• Certificate of completion: No
• Best for: Designers, entrepreneurs, coders, creatives

First on my list is Skillshare which offers well structured and informative on-demand video classes that are made in-house and by their members. Since it’s inception in 2010, Skillshare has gained 8+ million students and hosts over 28,000 lessons.

Some of the many categories that Skillshare covers include design, writing, business, web development, knitting, photoshop, PHP, illustration, and cooking to name a few.

So whatever you are into, there is sure to be a class for you!

Currently, new users can try the service for free when activating their 2-week free trial! Overall, a great online course website that has a bit of something for everyone.

2. LinkedIn Learning

• Price: 1-month free trial 
• Courses available: 15,000+
• Certificate of completion: Yes
• Best for: Programmers, coders, business owners, management

Next on my list is LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda.com) which has been educating students since 1995. Since then, they have helped to upskill millions of students from over 69 countries.

Unlike Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning only has courses taught by their handpicked teachers, with no community-driven content. While this does result in fewer classes, the overall quality is outstanding!

Some other great benefits of LinkedIn Learning are their extensive learning paths, industry-leading tutors, ability to add courses to LinkedIn profiles, and a certificate of completion.

So if you are a job seeker, or are looking to change careers, LinkedIn Learning is a great starting point.

3. MasterClass

• Price: $180/yr
• Courses available: 80+
• Certificate of completion: No
• Best for: Designers, enthusiasts, hobbyists, creatives

When compared to the other online course websites in this guide, MasterClass looks pretty average on paper. In total, they only have 80 classes and don’t provide any certificates. So what’s the deal?

What really sets MasterClass apart from the rest is that their instructors are considered the best in the world.

As of writing this, MasterClass currently has classes taught by Tony Hawk, Usher, Pen & Teller, Serena Williams, Steve Martin, Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Martin Scorsese, and Stephen Curry to name a few.

So if you are looking to learn skills from the best of the best, you can’t go past MasterClass.

4. Udemy

• Price: Free – $249
• Courses available: 100,000+
• Certificate of completion: Yes
• Best for: Designers, programmers, coders, artists

For those looking for a massive list of online courses that cover almost every category, Udemy is the place to be. Founded in 2009, Udemy has helped 50+ million students gain new skills and jobs.

Unlike many of the other course providers on this list, Udemy courses are completely crowdsourced much like YouTube. While this does result in more courses and categories, content can sometimes be hit and miss.

However, for large categories such as programming, coding, business, and software, Udemy course content is top-notch. Even companies like Mercedes Benz, General Mills, Adidas, Booking.com, and VW use Udemy for upskilling their workforce.

So for a huge range of online courses and affordable prices, Udemy is a great contender.

5. edX

• Price: Free – $340
• Courses available: 2,500+
• Certificate of completion: Yes (for a price)
• Best for: Computer networking, IT, business, humanities, arts

Next on my list is edX which brings some of the best professors and universities in the world, and makes it accessible to anyone. To make this even better, many of their courses can be taken for free!

As of writing this, edX has partnered up with dozens of universities and businesses from MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Boston, IMB, and Microsoft for delivering free online courses.

How it works is that many of these institutions have shared their online lectures and course curriculum to students all around the world. So anyone can receive a high standard of education.

While 1,000’s of their courses can be taken for free, if you are looking to get a certificate, you, unfortunately, will have to pay for this. Nonetheless, still one of the best online learning websites!

If you are seeking a list of ALL the free online Ivy League courses in 2024, you’re in the right place!

In this guide, I have included every free course from all 8 of the Ivy League universities/ colleges which include Cornell, Princeton, Brown, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Pennsylvania.

From this list, you will be able to find various fields of study from programming, economics, blockchain, humanities, art, architecture, and many more!

So if you want to learn from some of the best professors and universities/ colleges in the world. Look no further!

ALL 531+ Free Online Ivy League Courses In 2024

Cornell University

– American Capitalism: A History [Free] [4 Weeks] [English]

– An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching [Free] [8 Weeks] [English]

– A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering Simulations [Free] [4-6 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Engineering]

– Networks, Crowds and Markets [Free] [4–5 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Reclaiming Broken Places: Introduction to Civic Ecology [Free] [6 Weeks] [Biology & Life Sciences]

– Relativity and Astrophysics [Free] [4-8 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Math]

– Sharks! [Free] [4-6 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Biology & Life Sciences]

– Structuring Business Agreements for Success [Free] [2-3 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– The Computing Technology Inside Your Smartphone [Free] [10 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– The Ethics of Eating [Free] [4 Weeks] [Philosophy & Ethics]

– Teaching & Learning in the Diverse Classroom [Free] [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Education & Teacher Training]

– The Science and Politics of the GMO [Free] [3–4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Wiretaps to Big Data: Privacy and Surveillance in the Age of Interconnection [Free] [3–4 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

Princeton University

– Analysis of Algorithms [Free] [15 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Analytic Combinatorics [Free] [13 Hours] [Math & Logic]

– Algorithms, Part I [Free] [53 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Algorithms, Part II [Free] [58 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy [Free] [10 Hours] [Health]

– Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies [Free] [23 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Buddhism and Modern Psychology [Free] [18 Hours] [Health]

– Computer Architecture [Free] [50 Hours] [Physical Science and Engineering]

– Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines [Free] [16 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose [Free] [88 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Effective Altruism [Free] [12 Hours] [Arts and Humanities]

– Imagining Other Earths [Free] [27 Hours] [Physical Science and Engineering]

– Networks: Friends, Money, and Bytes [Free] [37 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Networks Illustrated: Principles without Calculus [Free] [24 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Paradoxes of War [Free] [15 Hours] [Social Science]

Brown University

– Artful Medicine: Art’s Power to Enrich Patient Care [Free] [2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Beyond Medical Histories: Gaining Insight from Patient Stories [Free][2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans: Exploring Humanity Through Literature [Free] [2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Literature]

– Introduction to Engineering and Design [Free] [2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Engineering]

– The Ethics of Memory [Free] [2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

Yale University

– American Contract Law I [Free] [20 Hours] [Law]

– American Contract Law II [Free] [20 Hours] [Law]

– A Journey through Western Christianity [Free] [44 Hours] [History]

– A Law Student’s Toolkit [Free] [21 Hours] [Law]

– America’s Written Constitution [Free] [21 Hours] [Governance and Society]

– Age of Cathedrals [Free] [17 Hours] [History]

– Anatomy of the Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis [Free] [13 Hours] [Basic Science]

– America’s Unwritten Constitution [Free] [18 Hours] [Law]

– Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers [Free] [14 Hours] [Patient Care]

– Climate Change and Health: From Science to Action Specialization [Free] [3 Months] [Health]

– Essentials of Global Health [Free] [56 Hours] [Public Health]

– Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing [Free] [13 Hours] [Psychology]

– Financial Markets [Free] [27 Hours] [Finance]

– Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action [Free] [16 Hours] [Public Health]

– Introduction to Classical Music [Free] [40 Hours] [Music and Arts]

– Introduction to Psychology [Free] [15 Hours] [Psychology]

– Introduction to Breast Cance [Free] [13 Hours] [Basic Science]

– Introduction to Negotiation [Free] [30 Hours] [Business Essentials]

– Journey of the Universe: A Story for Our Times [Free] [5 Months] [Arts and Humanities]

– Moral Foundations of Politics [Free] [44 Hours] [Governance and Society]

– Moralities of Everyday Life [Free] [25 Hours] [Psychology]

– Music and Social Action [Free] [30 Hours] [Music and Arts]

– Roman Architecture [Free] [42 Hours] [History]

– The Global Financial Crisis [Free] [24 Hours] [Economics]

– The Science of Well-Being [Free] [ 19 Hours] [Personal Development]

– Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend is Wrong [Free] [16 Hours] [Research]

– Journey of the Universe: The Unfolding of Life [Free] [20 Hours] [History]

– The Worldview of Thomas Berry: The Flourishing of the Earth Community [Free] [21 Hours] [History]

– Journey of the Universe: Weaving Knowledge and Action [Free] [30 Hours] [Physical Science]

Harvard University

– Advanced Bioconductor [Free] [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistic]

– American Government: Constitutional Foundations [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– AnatomyX: Musculoskeletal Cases [Free] [3-6 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature [Free] [3-6 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Literature]

– Backyard Meteorology: The Science of Weather [3-5 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Bioethics: Reproductive Technologies and Genetics [Free] [1-2 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Buddhism Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Calculus Applied! [Free] [3-6 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Math]

– Case Studies in Functional Genomics [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Draw Your Assumptions Before Your Conclusions [Free] [2-3 Hours] [9 Weeks] [Data Analysis]

– Cell Biology: Mitochondia [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Biology and Life Sciences]

– Central Challenges of American National Security, Strategy, and the Press [Free] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Child Protection: Children’s Rights in Theory and Practice [Free] [1-3 Hours] [28 Weeks] [Social Sciencest]

– China and Communism [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– ChinaX Book Club: Five Authors, Five Books, Five Views of China [1-2 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Literature]

– China’s First Empires and the Rise of Buddhism [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History

– China Humanities: The Individual in Chinese Culture [Free] [2-4 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Humanities]

– China’s Political and Intellectual Foundations: From Sage Kings to Confucius [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Christianity Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life [5-7 Hours] [11 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Contemporary China: The People’s Republic, Taiwan, and Hong Kong [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Contemporary China: The People’s Republic, Taiwan, and Hong Kong [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract [Free] [3-6 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Cosmopolitan Tang: Aristocratic Culture in China [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Creating Modern China: The Republican Period to the Present [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals [Free] [2-6 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s AP® Computer Science Principles [Free] [5-6 Hours] [36 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50 for Lawyers [Free] [3-6 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python [Free] [10-30 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science [Free] [6-18 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Introduction to Game Development [Free] [6-9 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native [Free] [6-9 Hours] [13 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Understanding Technology [Free] [2-6 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– CS50’s Web Programming with Python and JavaScript [Free] [6-9 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Data Science: Capstone [Free] [15-20 Hours] [2 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Inference and Modeling [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Linear Regression [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Machine Learning [Free] [2-4 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Probability [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Productivity Tools [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: R Basics [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Visualization [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Data Science: Wrangling [Free] [1-2 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Early Christianity: The Letters of Paul [Free] [12 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Energy Within Environmental Constraints [Free] [3-5 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Environmental Studies]

– Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies [Free] [3-5 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles [Free] [2-3 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Fat Chance: Probability from the Ground Up [Free] [3-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Math]

– First Nights – Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and the 19th Century Orchestra [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– First Nights – Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique and Program Music in the 19th Century [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– First Nights – Handel’s Messiah and Baroque Oratorio [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– First Nights – Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and the Birth of Opera [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– First Nights – Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring: Modernism, Ballet, and Riots [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 3: The Brain [Free] [2-3 Hours][8 Weeks] [Biology & Life Sciences]

– Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron [Free] [3-5 Hours][5 Weeks][Biology and Life Sciences]

– Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 2: Neurons and Networks [Free][3-5 Hours][6 Weeks][Biology and Life Sciences]

– Global China: From the Mongols to the Ming [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Global Health Case Studies from a Biosocial Perspective [Free] [12 Weeks] [Social Science]

– Health and Society [Free] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– High-Dimensional Data Analysis [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Hinduism Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster [Free] [3-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Health and Safety]

– Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health [Free] [1-3 Hours] [9 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety [Free] [2-4 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Introduction to Bioconductor [Free] [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Introduction to Data Wise: A Collaborative Process to Improve Learning & Teaching [Free] [1-2 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Education & Teacher Training]

– Introduction to Digital Humanities [Free] [2-4 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Introduction to Linear Models and Matrix Algebra [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Math]

– Introduction to American Civics: Presented by Zero-L [Free] [1-3 Hours] [1 Weeks] [Law]

– Introduction to Probability [Free] [5-10 Hours] [16 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Invasions, Rebellions, and the Fall of Imperial China [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Innovating in Health Care [Free] [6-8 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Islam Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Japanese Books: From Manuscript to Print [Free] [1-2 Hours] [9 Weeks] [Arts & Culture]

– Judaism Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– JuryX: Deliberations for Social Change [Free] [2-3 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Justice [Free] [3-6 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Lessons from Ebola: Preventing the Next Pandemic [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Leaders of Learning [Free] [2-4 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Communication]

– Literati China: Examinations, Neo-Confucianism, and Later Imperial China [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– MalariaX: Defeating Malaria from the Genes to the Globe [Free] [3-5 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Biology & Life Sciences]

– Masterpieces of World Literature [Free] [5-7 Weeks] [12 Weeks] [Literature]

– Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19 [Free] [2-5 Hours] [1 Week] [Health and Safety]

– Modern China’s Foundations: The Manchus and the Qing [Free] [1-3 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Modern Masterpieces of World Literature [Free] [3-6 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Literature]

– Poetry in America: Modernism [Free] [3-5 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Poetry in America: The Civil War and Its Aftermath [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Poetry in America: Whitman [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Practical Improvement Science in Health Care: A Roadmap for Getting Results [Free] [2-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [ Business & Management]

– PredictionX: John Snow and the Cholera Epidemic of 1854 [Free] [3-5 Hours] [1 Week] [History]

– PredictionX: Lost Without Longitude [Free] [2-5 Hours] [1 Weeks] [History]

– PredictionX: Omens, Oracles & Prophecies [Free] [3-5 Hours] [1 Week] [Social Sciences]

– Prescription Drug Regulation, Cost, and Access: Current Controversies in Context [Free] [2-5 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Principles of Biochemistry [Free] [4-6 Hours] [15 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Principles, Statistical and Computational Tools for Reproducible Data Science [Free] [3-8 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Pyramids of Giza: Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology [Free] [2-4 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Art & Culture]

– Readings in Global Health (2017) [Free] [3-6 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Religion, Conflict and Peace [Free] [4-8 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking [Free] [2-3 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Saving Schools: Reforming the U.S. Education System [Free] [3-5 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (chemistry) [Free] [2-3 Hours] [16 Weeks] [Chemistry]

– Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science (physics) [Free] [2-3 Hours] [16 Weeks] [Physics]

– Sikhism Through Its Scriptures [Free] [5-10 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Shakespeare’s Life and Work [Free] [5-7 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Shakespeare’s Othello: The Moor [Free] [5-7 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Shakespeare’s Hamlet: The Ghost [Free] [5-7 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice: Shylock [Free] [5-7 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Statistics and R [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Strengthening Community Health Worker Programs [Free] [2-4 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Health & Safety]

– Statistical Inference and Modeling for High-throughput Experiments [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Data Analysis & Statistics]

– Super-Earths and Life [Free] [3-5 Hours] [15 Week] [Physics]

– Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens, and the Stuff Around You [Free] [1-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market [Free] [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– The Ancient Greek Hero [Free] [8-12 Hours] [18 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Architectural Imagination [Free] [3-5 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Architecture]

– The Book: Books in the Medieval Liturgy [Free] [1-2 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: Book Sleuthing: What 19th-Century Books Can Tell Us About the Rise of the Reading Public? [Free] [1-2 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: The History of the Book in the 17th and 18th Century Europe [Free] [1-2 Hours] [1 Week] [Humanities]

– The Book: Making and Meaning in the Medieval Manuscript [Free] [2-4 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: The Medieval Book of Hours: Art and Devotion in the Later Middle Ages [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Literature]

– The Book: Monasteries, Schools, and Notaries, Part 1: Reading the Late Medieval Marseille Archive [Free] [1-2 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: Monasteries, Schools, and Notaries, Part 2: Introduction to the Transitional Gothic Script [Free] [2-3 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: Print and Manuscript in Western Europe, Asia and the Middle East (1450-1650) [Free] [1-2 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Book: Scrolls in the Age of the Book [Free] [2-4 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Climate-Energy Challenge [Free] [4-6 Hours [9 Weeks] [Environmental Studies]

– The Health Effects of Climate Change [Free] [3-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Environmental Studies]

– The Opioid Crisis in America [Free] [1-2 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Medicine]

– The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches us about the Good Life [Free] [1-2 Hours] [13 Weeks] [Philosophy & Ethics]

– United States Health Policy [Free] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Using Python for Research [Free] [2-4 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– U.S. Political  Institutions: Congress, Presidency, Courts, and Bureaucracy [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– U.S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies [Free] [2-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Quantitative Methods for Biology [Free] [3-5 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Women Making History: Ten Objects, Many Stories [Free] [2-3 Hours] [8 Weeks] [History]

– 18th-Century Opera: Handel & Mozart [Free] [3-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Music]

– 19th-Century Opera: Meyerbeer, Wagner, & Verdi [Free] [3-5 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Music]

Dartmouth College

– Animation and CGI Motion [Free] [8-10 Hours [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Bipedalism: The Science of Upright Walking [Free] [2-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– C Programming: Advanced Data Types [Free] [4-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– C Programming: Getting Started [Free] [2-4 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– C Programming: Language Foundations [Free] [2-4 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– C Programming: Modular Programming and Memory Management [Free] [2-4 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– C Programming: Pointers and Memory Management [Free] [2-4 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– C Programming: Using Linux Tools and Libraries [Free] [4-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Demand and Supply Analytics [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Developing Breakthrough Innovations with the Three Box Solution [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Executing Breakthrough Innovations with the Three Box Solution [Free] [3-5 Hours] [3 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Introduction to Environmental Science [Free] [4 Weeks] [Biology & Life Sciences]

– Introduction to Italian Opera [Free] [3-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Art & Culture]

– Introduction to German Opera [Free] [3-4 Weeks] [4 Weeks] [Art & Culture]

– John Milton: Paradise Lost [Free] [2-8 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Literature]

– Libertarian Free Will: Neuroscientific and Philosophical Evidence [Free] [4-6 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Philosophy & Ethics]

– Linux Basics: The Command Line Interface [Free] [3-5 Hours] [7 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Omnichannel Strategy and Management [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Retail Fundamentals [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business Management]

– The American Renaissance: Classic Literature of the 19th Century [Free] [3-5 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Engineering of Structures Around Us [Free] [3-6 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Engineering]

– Question Reality! Science, philosophy, and the search for meaning [2-4 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Humanities]

Columbia University

– Analytics in Python [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Artificial Intelligence (AI) [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Attaining Higher Education [Free] [3-5 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Education & Teacher Training]

– Data, Models and Decisions in Business Analytics [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Enabling Technologies for Data Science and Analytics: The Internet of Things [Free] [7-10 Hours] [5 Weeks]

– Fighting for Equality: 1950–2018 [Free] [2-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [History]

– Fighting HIV with Antiretroviral Therapy: Implementing the Treat-All Approach [Free] [2-3 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Find Your Calling: Career Transition Principles for Returning Veterans [Free] [1-3 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Philosophy & Ethics]

– Free Cash Flow Analysis [Free] [3-4 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Advanced Course [Free] [4-12 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Law]

– Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Foundational Course [Free] [5-12 Hours] [ 5 Weeks] [Law]

– Global Muckraking: Investigative Journalism and Global Media [Free] [3-5 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Communication]

– Inclusive Teaching: Supporting All Students in the College Classroom [Free] [2-3 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Education & Teacher Training]

– Indian & Tibetan River of Buddhism [Free] [2-4 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Humanities]

– Introduction to Corporate Finance [Free] [3-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Machine Learning [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Machine Learning for Data Science and Analytics [Free] [7-10 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Marketing Analytics [Free] [8-10 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Negotiating a Changing World: 1920-1950 [Free] [2-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [History]

– Pediatric HIV Nursing [Free] [2-3 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Medicine]

– Protecting Children in Humanitarian Settings [Free] [3-5 Hours] [12 Weeks] [Social Sciences]

– Risk & Return [Free] [3-4 Hours] [4 Weeks] [Business & Management]

– Robotics [Free] [8-10 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Seeking Women’s Rights: Colonial Period to the Civil War [Free] [2-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [History]

– Statistical Thinking for Data Science and Analytics [Free] [7-10 Hours] [5 Weeks] [Computer Science]

– Soins infirmiers en VIH pédiatrique [Free] [2-3 Hours] [8 Weeks] [Medicine]

– The Civil War and Reconstruction – 1865-1890: The Unfinished Revolution [Free] [6-8 Hours] [15 Weeks] [Humanities]

– The Civil War and Reconstruction – 1861 – 1865: A New Birth of Freedom [Free] [6-8 Hours] [12 Weeks] [History]

– The Civil War and Reconstruction – 1850-1861: A House Divided [Free] [6-8 Hours] [15 Weeks] [History]

– Traitement antirétroviral pour lutter contre le VIH : mise en œuvre de l’approche « traiter tout le monde » [Free] [2-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [Medicine]

– University Studies for Student Veterans [Free] [3-4 Hours] [6 Weeks] [Education & Teacher Training]

– Wage Work for Women Citizens: 1870-1920 [Free] [2-3 Hours] [10 Weeks] [History]

University of Pennsylvania

– A Crash Course in Causality: Inferring Causal Effects from Observational Data [Free] [13 Hours] [Probability and Statistics]

– American Education Reform: History, Policy, Practice [Free] [14 Hours] [History]

– An Introduction to American Law [Free] [9 Hours] [Law]

– Ancient Philosophy: Plato & His Predecessors [Free] [11 Hours] [Philosophy]

– Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors [Free] [12 Hours [Philosophy]

– Applying to U.S. Universities [Free] [27 Hours] [Personal Development]

– Arts and Culture Strategy [Free] [11 Hours] [Governance & Society]

– Achieving Personal and Professional Success Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Personal Development]

– Business Analytics Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Data Analysis]

– Business Foundations Specialization [Free] [7 Month] [Business Essential]

– Business Strategies for A Better World Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Leadership and Management]

– Business and Financial Modeling Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Business Essential]

– Calculus: Single Variable Part 1 – Functions [Free] [7 Hours] [Math & Logic]

– Calculus: Single Variable Part 2 – Differentiation [Free] [6 Hours] [Math and Logic]

– Calculus: Single Variable Part 3 – Integration [Free] [9 Hours] [Math and Logic]

– Calculus: Single Variable Part 4 – Applications [Free] [9 Hours] [Math and Logic]

– Computational Thinking for Problem Solving [Free] [17 Hours] [Algorithms]

– Crowdfunding [Free] [5 Hours] [Entrepreneurship]

– Culture-Driven Team Building Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Business Essentials]

– Design: Creation of Artifacts in Society [Free] [22 Hours] [Entrepreneurship]

– English for Business and Entrepreneurship [Free] [30 Hours] [Learning English]

– English for Career Development [Free] [40 Hours] [Learning English]

– English for Journalism [Free] [42 Hours] [Learning English]

– English for Media Literacy [Free] [40 Hours] [Learning English]

– English for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [Free] [34 Hours] [Learning English]

– Entrepreneurship Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Entrepreneurship]

– Exploring Renewable Energy Schemes [Free] [15 Hours] [Physical Science & Engineering]

– Feeding the World [Free] [13 Hours] [Basic Science]

– Finance & Quantitative Modeling for Analysts Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Finance]

– Fintech: Foundations & Applications of Financial Technology Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Business Essential]

– Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization [Free] [5 Months] [Business Essentials]

– Fundamentals of Finance [Free] [9 Hours] [Finance]

– Fundamentos Empresariales Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Business Essentials]

– Gamification [Free] [20 Hours] [Computer Science]

– Greek and Roman Mythology [Free] [25 Hours] [Philosophy]

– Healthcare Law Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Health]

– How to Apply to College [Free] [17 Hours] [Personal Development]

– Intellectual Property Law Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Business]

– Introduction to Ancient Egypt and Its Civilization [Free] [7 Hours] [History]

– Introduction to Dental Medicine [Free] [9 Hours] [Basic Science]

– Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases [Free] [6 Hours] [Governance and Society]

– Microeconomics: When Markets Fail [Free] [8 Hours] [Economics]

– Microeconomics: The Power of Markets [Free] [9 Hours] [Economics]

– Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (“ModPo”) [Free] [66 Hours] [Music and Arts]

– More Introduction to Financial Accounting [Free] [16 Hours] [Finance]

– Network Dynamics of Social Behavior [Free] [4 Hours] [Governance and Society]

– Orchestrating Whole Classroom Discussion [Free] [12 Hours] [Social Science]

– Positive Psychology: Martin E. P. Seligman’s Visionary Science [Free] [16 Hours] [Psychology]

– Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills [Free] [13 Hours] [Psychology]

– Philosophy of Science [Free] [12 Hours] [Philosophy]

– Regulatory Compliance Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Business]

– Removing Barriers to Change [Free] [5 Hours] [Leadership & Management]

– Robotics Specialization [Free] [7 Months] [Electrical Engineering]

– Single Variable Calculus [Free] [8 Hours] [Math and Logic]

– Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators [Free] [7 Hours] [Entrepreneurship]

– Social Norms, Social Change I [Free] [10 Hours] [Social Science]

– Social Norms, Social Change II [Free] [9 Hours] [Psychology]

– The Business of Health Care Specialization [Free] [4 Months] [Healthcare Management]

– The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease [Free] [11 Hours] [Basic Science]

– Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us [Free] [15 Hours] [Patient Care]

– Wonders of Ancient Egypt [Free] [9 Hours] [History]

– 商务基础 (中文版) Specialization [Free] [6 Months] [Business Essentials]

Even More Degree Options

Beyond the Ivy Leagues, there are 100’s of global colleges and universities that offer degrees on Coursera.

There are also MicroBachelors Programs for Undergraduate Education as well as a MicroMasters degree programs offered from edX. Both programs create a concentrated learning experience at a fraction of the cost of a university degree.

Udacity’s NanoDegree program offer something similar, but they are partnered with large technology companies like Amazon, Apple and Google. Some graduates even get invited for advance programs and paid internships.

While online learning is a high growth industry with a global reach, there still are some disadvantages of eLearning you should know about.

In this guide, I cover some cons of eLearning that include the need for computer literacy, lack of teacher interaction, time management, and many more.

To keep an even balance, I have also included some ways in which the eLearning sector is adapting and combatting these challenges. Let’s begin!

17+ Disadvantages Of eLearning You Should Know

1. eLearning Can Be Inaccessible By Older Generations

One of the major and most common downsides of eLearning is that it can be out of reach for older generations. This is primarily due to the fact that only 68% of Baby Boomers (55-73) own a tablet, smartphone, or computer.

As for the Silent Generation (74-91), device penetration is only 40%. For comparison, 93% of Millenials and Gen Xers own an internet compatible device. So without a device, many eLearning recourses and platforms are simply out of reach.

To combat this, online course providers like Lynda (now LinkedIn Learning), have partnered up with 10,000’s of libraries globally to provide free online courses for library cardholders.

2. Certain Degrees & Fields Are Out Of Reach

While eLearning covers a huge range of degrees, courses, classes, training, and lessons across multiple sectors. There are certain courses and fields that simply cannot be taught online due to the practical components.

As an example, many fields such as automotive, dentistry, carpentry, hairdressing, cooking, and child care have a difficult time teaching hands-on lessons over the internet.

To meet this challenge, many local colleges and universities now offer online theory lessons in conjunction with practical components. This allows students to attend practical lessons while still maintaining a flexible online learning experience.

3. Some eLearning Platforms Lack Accreditation

With many educational websites and eLearning platforms, it’s very common for them to supply a certificate of completion to students.

While this is a great sign of achievement and can help job seekers. In many cases, these certificates hold no weight or accreditation, which may give a false sense of accomplishment.

However, more and more eLearning platforms are seeking accreditation for their courses so they can attract new students and learners. Some MOOCs that prove accreditation include Kaplan University, edX, eCornell, PMI, and Coursera to name a few.

4. eLearning Can Lack a Student Community

Another disadvantage of eLearning is the lack of student bodies, student communities, and clubs. Those who have attended a physical campus, often speak fondly of their experiences joining different clubs and meeting new people.

However, when it comes to online learning, this sense of community is very hard to replicate in an online setting. Generally, many educational websites do offer forums and community threads, but these are often poorly used.

While physical interaction can never be replaced, eLearning platforms are starting to add video discussions for students, slack communities, and “remote catch-ups”. While this may not be perfect, it is heading in the right direction.

5. Time Management Can Be Hard With eLearning

When we attended physical classes, lectures, and training, there is a set schedule and time commitment already laid out for students. This makes time management “easier” as there is more of a structure and timeline to commit to.

eLearning on the other hand is extremely flexible as is best suited to revolve around one’s schedule, lifestyle, and work. While this can be seen as a positive, it can become a major disadvantage for those who struggle with time management.

As this is a frequent challenge of online learning, many course providers now allow for the ability to allocate time slots with reminders to keep students on top of their learning progress.

6. Online Learning Courses Are Primarily In English

While only 20% of the global population speaks English, around 80% of all online courses and classes are in English. This big disparity in numbers keeps students, especially developing countries out of reach from online education.

To combat this, many online course providers are starting to support other languages such as Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi. Typically, this bilingual support comes in the way of voice-overs or subtitles in the native language.

7. Overabundance In Choices Lead To No Action

In marketing, there is a common term called analysis paralysis, which translates to consumers unable to make a choice when confronted with too many options. With eLearning, the same problem applies.

As of writing this, there are 100’s of different online education websites that provide very similar courses, with new platforms entering the market on a monthly basis.

This issue is actually one of the reasons why I decided to make this particular website. With an overabundance of choices, it’s good to find resources that compile the top platforms for a given field.

8. Stable Internet Connection & Computer/ Mobile Is Needed

When deconstructed, eLearning means “Electronic Learning“. So at its core, an internet compatible computer, tablet, or cellphone device is needed to undertake an online course or classes.

Surprisingly, data suggests that only 49% of households globally have a computer in the household, and 44% for smartphone devices. So for over 50% of the global population, eLearning is not accessible from home.

However, these same reports also show that internet penetration is growing 5-10% annually. So more people in developing countries will soon have access to more online education resources.

9. Online Learning Lacks Face-To-Face Teacher Interaction

One of the most important learning methods for students is to get feedback, critique, and thoughts from teachers.

Typically, this dialogue is uncommon in the eLearning industry as one single course may be taken by 10,000’s of students. So from a teacher’s point of view, this is unmanageable.

While this is a very hard issue to tackle, many course providers are not supporting live Q&As where pupils can submit questions beforehand and get feedback from teachers, professors, and trainers.

10. Cheating Is Harder To Monitor & Detect

With the nature of eLearning and taking courses online, there is no physical attendance one has to show when taking assessments, tests, exams, and training. Because of this, online courses can easily be duped by outsourcing, third party help, and guided assistance.

To combat this, many MOOCs “Massive Open Online Courses” and LMS “Learning Management Systems” now use AI to detect cheating, and even live video connections to ensures students and workers are actually present.

11. eLearning Can Lack Practical Assessments & Training

While eLearning is a phenomenal tool to acquire new skills, there is only so far an online course can take you. Take cooking and nail technicians for example.

Students can learn the theory of seeing others do practical training. But without doing it with your own hands. It simply is not the same.

For many fields, this is simply a disadvantage of eLearning that is here to stay. However, there are online learning platforms like Bluprint that send the materials to students so they can follow along at home.

12. Students Can Become Isolated When Learning Remotely

Another con of eLearning is that students can become lonely and isolated when learning remotely at home. This has also compounded itself with the rise of a pandemic which has forced millions of students to learn by themselves.

While this is a hard issue to fix, many eLearning platforms now include student discussion boards, live video meets, slack threads, and “online clubs” where students can interact with peers.

13. Online Courses Can Be Inconsistent

With a traditional college or university, there are strict frameworks and curriculums that teachers and professors have to uphold. This abidance tends to deliver a more consistent learning experience for students, regardless of what campus they attend.

On the other hand, many eLearning platforms don’t have to adhere to these same standards, as they are not typically backed by an educational or government institution.

While many educational websites aim to teach new skills, rather than degrees, this is something that is not always necessary. However, some platforms do provide online degrees that follow the same curriculum as a university.

14. eLearning Requires Strong Discipline

One of the major advantages of eLearning is that it’s completely flexible and can revolve around one’s lifestyle, work, and schedule.

However, for some, this can also be seen as a big disadvantage as this requires strong discipline to meet deadlines, submit work, and continue with a course.

To counter this, online educational websites are slowing moving away from courses that require deadlines and time restraints. Instead, students now have the ability to stop completely for weeks, and even months, then pick up where they left off.

15. eLearning Can Lack Spontunaity

For those that have attended a face-to-face lecture, they can be incredibly boring, and in some cases, extremely stimulating. The later is usually when a lecturer diverges from the normal curriculum and delivers an idea in a unique way that engages students.

While this is hard to replicate in an online setting, and with prerecorded courses. Some of the larger eLearning institutions are moving to smaller classes with live open discussions throughout a class or lecture with a teacher.

16. Computer Literacy Is Needed

Even though eLearning is a tool designed for the masses, it also has its shortcomings as it requires some computer knowledge and literacy. Which many don’t have, or find trouble learning.

Fortunately, the online learning industry is now implementing simple and easy to follow UI/UX which makes it easy to learn and interact with. Some platforms are also utilizing gamification which helps to make the learning experiences more intuitive.

17. Certain Online Courses Can Be Expensive

When compared to a traditional education pathway, eLearning is still more cost-effective and typically results in a better return for students. However, for many third world and developing countries, a “cheap $200 course” can be impossible to obtain.

To combat this, non-profit eLearning platforms like Khan Academy, Code.org, and FreeCodeCamp, aim to provide free online education to every person, regardless of gender, race, background, and income.

Conclusion

In conclusion, eLearning definitely does have its drawbacks and disadvantages. However, with increased demand and competition in the industry. This is forcing the online learning industry to adapt faster and provide a better experience for a larger global audience.

If you are weighing up the benefits of eLearning to see whether or not it’s the right for you, you’re in the right place!

In this guide, I cover many aspects of eLearning from retention of students, affordability of learning, access to world-class teachers, scalability, and even the environmental impact.

Below, you will find various advantages of eLearning that I have researched and have also heard from our readers. Let’s begin!

23+ Benefits Of eLearning You Should Know

1. Accessible Education To The Masses

One of, if not the major benefit of eLearning is that it makes education accessible to almost anyone. Simply, all you need is a stable internet connection and an internet compatible device

If you have these two things, this opens up a global network of classes, lessons, courses, degrees, and training that can be undertaken by any person regardless of gender, race, income, background, or culture.

This access to online learning material allows developing countries, underprivileged communities, independent learners, hobbyists, and job seekers to further their education without the need for a physical classroom.

2. Online Learning Solves Teacher Scarcity

Another incredible advantage of educational websites and eLearning is the ability to leverage specialized and in-demand teachers, professors, and trainers.

As an example, Harvard University’s CS50 Introduction to Computer Science (which is free), has enabled 2.2 million students to get access to world-class professors and education from one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

3. Remote Learning Can Easily Be Scaled

Another advantage of eLearning is that there is no limit to the reach and scale of learning materials. Whether it’s 100 or 1,000,000 students, online courses and LMS can be scaled vertically with no limits, while still delivering great user experience.

Currently, there are dozens of learning platforms such as edX, Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning to name a few who utilize this technology. Cloud computing companies like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud are leading the front in this industry.

4. eLearning Is More Friendly On The Environment

One of the beneficial side effects of eLearning is the small, and in some cases, carbon positive impact on the environment.

As eLearning can be done remotely, this removes cars and public transport off the road as students/ workers don’t need to travel to a campus. It also removes the need for cutting down trees for the printing of textbooks.

While servers are expensive to run and can drain the electricity power grid, many data centers have moved to renewable energy to lower expenses, and in some cases even create more energy than they use.

5. eLearning Is More Affordable

In 2024, it’s not uncommon to hear graduating students who spend $10,000’s, if not more, on their education.

When compared to eLearning, online courses and classes are only a tiny fraction of the price when compared to traditional educational institutions. This is primarily due to the fact that universities/ colleges have high overheads and can’t scale.

Typically, eLearning degrees, courses, training, and classes can range from free, to around $2,000 on the high end. However, in most cases, courses generally cost between $50-$300 for high-quality teaching material. This is hands down one of the main advantages of eLearning!

6. On-Demand Learning Is More Flexible

With the introduction of on-demand video streaming platforms for consuming content, the same is happening in the education industry.

Gone are the days of sitting in a physical classroom for hours on end. Students now have the ability to consume learning material where they want, and when they want.

This typically results in a greater learning experience as it can be easily fitted around busy lifestyles and work.

7. eLearning Is More Consistent

Instead of having a fractured learning experience that is split up between dozens of teachers and lecturers. LMS “Learning Management Systems” and MOOC’s “Massive Open Online Courses” can easily standardize eLearning material which makes for a more consistent learning experience.

Also with the nature of on-demand learning, course material can be recorded and edited until it meets the satisfaction of the teacher and learning platform. This can also result in a higher grade of teaching quality and materials.

8. Ability To Learn On The Go

In recent reports, it is estimated that 50% of all internet traffic is now on mobile and tablet devices. Because of this, many online course providers have created iOS and Android apps to meet the needs of their students and allow for mobile learning.

With many of these platforms, there is also the ability to download entire videos, audio files, quizzes, and lesson notes for traveling, or for those in poor 4G/5G coverage areas.

9. Classes Can Be Taken An Unlimited Amount Of Times

With traditional learning institutions like colleges and universities, you have to pay every time to re-enroll or retake a class. In some cases, this can result in poor student and learning retention and inflated fees.

On the other hand, MOOCs and LMS allow students and workers to retake classes and training lessons and an unlimited amount of times. This typically results in a greater learning experience while also saving money.

10. eLearning Leeds To Increased Satisfaction & Retention

In recent studies, it has been noted that 81% of students have found that eLearning has greatly benefited their grades.

Also, learning institutions that have enabled eLearning capabilities have found a higher retention rate of 35-60%, compared to 8-10% for in-class lessons.

11. Students Get Access To Current Learning Curriculum

As industries are rapidly evolving in a worldwide economy, skills can quickly become outdated and obsolete. This is another great advantage of eLearning as the curriculum can easily be updated with a few clicks of a button.

Once the learning material is updated to current standards and expectations, it can then be shared and be accessible instantly. This allows for eLearning material to be ever-evolving and up to date.

12. eLearning Caters To Individualviduals

While many think of eLearning and online courses as a static learning experience, in many cases, it is the exact opposite.

Instead of just enrolling in a single online class. Students now have the ability to choose dynamic and flexible learning paths that best suits their learning needs and abilities. This could include video lessons, quizzes, live Q&As, and written material to name a few.

13. More Interactive Learning Content

Typically, eLearning consists of on-demand or live video lessons that students can watch in real-time or at a later date.

However, there are also other options such as interactive quizzes, gamification of content, interactive video scenarios, live Q&As, student community threads, virtual reality lessons, audio lessons, and many more.

14. Access To Micro-Niche Content That Is Hard To Find

With physical education institutions, locals are restricted to the courses that they have on offer. Usually, large institutions cater to in-demand and popular skills and learning paths.

However, with eLearning, there really is no limit to what you can learn, regardless of how niche-specific you want to go.

As an example, eLearning provides micro-niches classes for C++ entrepreneur developers, PowerShell VMware training, or even courses specifically for long exposure photography. There really are no limits.

15. Receive Live Feedback From Teachers/ Trainers

One of the biggest critiques of eLearning is that it lacks the face-to-face interaction which helps students/ workers to further develop their learning.

To battle this, many MOOCs now implement daily/ weekly live video Q&As with professors/ teachers, live feedback on submitted work, student boards for advice, and dynamic comment threads.

16. Accrediated Certificates Of Completion Can Be Obtained

Another positive to eLearning is that many platforms provide accrediated certificates of completion which is great for bolstering up a resume and keeping skills relevant.

This also helps job seekers as many large corporations actively look for these accreditations. Some notable MOOCs that provide accrediated certificates include edX, Coursera, PMI, Microsoft Learning Online Program, eCornell, and Kaplan University to name a few.

17. Community Forums & Discussion Boards Help Isolated Students

While many students crave interaction with other students and peers, this is often quite hard with eLearning.

To combat this, many educational websites and course providers now include discussion threads, ZOOM catchups, slack threads, and live feedback for students. This helps to boost student morale while also providing a sense of community.

18. Online Lessons/ Courses Can Be Taken Quickly

Unlike traditional courses that are spread over several days, weeks, or months in bite-sized chunks. It is the complete opposite of eLearning.

Like a normal course, eLearning also incorporates time frames and learning schedules, however, many students tend to fast pace this process as they have the ability of “binge learning”.

19. No Need For Clunky Textbooks

While this may be considered a small benefit, online learning completely removes the necessity for textbooks.

This is primarily due to the fact that many eLearning providers include digital learning notes, power points, references, and eBooks to their students for free.

20. eLearning Is 24/7/365

Living in a culture of instant gratification and access to video streaming websites at any time, the same now applies to eLearning.

While universities, colleges, and schools may close over the summer or winter breaks, this isn’t the case with the online learning industry. Classes, courses, and lessons are available at any time and it never closes.

This is definitely one of the major benefits of eLearning that traditional learning institutions simply can’t compete with.

21. Easy To Measure Results & Performance

Whether you are an independent learner or a business that is using an LMS for internal training. It has never been easier to see an individual or workforces learning progress.

With eLearning platforms, users can get live feedback on interaction, completions, pass/ fail rates, progress, retention, and many more data points. This same process also saves many hours of administration work for businesses.

22. eLearning Is More Adaptable

In the wake of a global pandemic, the eLearning industry has really now shown its strengths and benefits to a global audience. Not to mention the ability to adapt to an ever-evolving environment.

With the power of scale and the reach of the internet, the online education industry has skyrocketed in popularity by over 80% according to Google Trends.

23. eLearning Is More Beneficial For Businesses & Workers

In a recent study, data suggested that businesses were able to save 50-70% of their money when transiting from a face-to-face instructor to eLearning.

Similar studies also found that when employees were taught via eLearning courses, employee retention increased by anywhere from 25-60%.

Conclusion

While eLearning isn’t perfect and still has room for improvement, the benefits such as affordability, access to world-class teachers, scalability, and a global reach to students, seem to far out way the disadvantages.

To answer the question what is eLearning, it help to realize that eLearning has been around since 1924. However, it seems only now with the wake of a pandemic that it has drawn everyone’s attention.

eLearning, also known as online learning, digital learning, and virtual learning, is projected to have a market size of $325 billion USD by 2025.

But how did eLearning get so big, and what is eLearning?

eLearning, also known as “Electronic Learning”, is a method of delivering educational curriculum, courses, training, and lectures over the internet without the need for a physical classroom. Institutions such as schools, universities, and corporations use eLearning for educating students and upskilling workforces remotely.

Definition Of eLearning

To further refine what eLearning is, and how it fits into our world in 2024, here are some further details of online learning.

While eLearning is known by other terms such as remote learning, computerized electronic learning, remote education, online learning, virtual learning, and many more. We define eLearning as live or prerecorded lectures, classes, courses, and training that is taught over the internet via an instructor, teacher, or professor.

How eLearning Is Taught To Students & Workers

Typically, eLearning content is delivered via video, but other learning methods such as eBooks, Journals, quizzes, discussion forums, Q&A sessions, and interviews are also utilized to enhance the retention of educational material.

By following this process, this removes the need for one single physical location for students or workers to attend. This enables tutors, trainers, and teachers to reach students, hobbyists, and workers globally, whether through private or public lessons.

In some cases, eLearning is also taught live via video or audio to primary, secondary, high school, college, and university students. Live eLearning classes have also become increasingly popular as it allows for real-time interaction and communication between students and teachers which one would typically see in a classroom setting.

E-Learning In The Private Industry

While eLearning is traditionally associated with schools and universities, there is also a huge demand for independent learners and hobbyists that are looking to further their career or learn a new skill. This particular sector of the eLearning industry as grown %1500 percent in that past 10 years.

Some of the biggest MOOC’s “Massive Open Online Courses” and online course providers in the industry are Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Skillshare, CodeCademy, FutureLearn, Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, Domestika and PluralSight to name a few. Many of these course providers are also recognized by educational institutions and typically provide a certificate of completion,

Concluding Thoughts On What Is eLearning

In conclusion, eLearning is a way of delivering educational material to students, workers, hobbyists, and independent learners via the internet.

Classes, lessons, training, and courses can be taught live to students from schools and universities, or alternatively, from on-demand online course providers like edX, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy.

When it comes to education, whether it is school-aged, higher education institutions, or company training, the vast majority is starting to swiftly move away from traditional face-to-face delivery to online learning. 

The following Online learning statistics (e-learning) of 2024 reveal just how big this industry has grown to, and the projected future growth.

Learn about the biggest e-learning providers in the world, as well as academic and business-based online learning statistics (e-learning) in the article below.

79+ Staggering Online Learning Statistics 2024 (All You Need To Know!)

Key Online Learning Statistics

To get a brief overview of the different trends of the e-learning industry, take a look at these key online learning statistics (e-learning).

• The word ‘e-learning’ was coined in 1998
• The e-learning market is over 2 decades old
• It’s projected that by 2025, the global e-learning market will reach $325 billion USD
• 50% of student in various higher education institutions have taken an online course in the past year
• Corporate e-learning reports the effect of increasing knowledge retention anywhere from 25-60%
• Almost 80% of companies used online learning platforms in 2017, and in recent years it has continued to rise
• Udemy is one of the most popular online learning platforms globally
• When asked, 60% of Internet users reported that online courses are preferable to fit their lifestyle and schedules
• Virtual and augmented reality education software is projected to reach $300 million USD in revenue by 2020.

Growth Of e-learning

Online learning statistics (e-learning) give an interesting insight into how rapid the growth has been since it’s implementation, as well as how big the industry is still becoming globally.

• Since 2000, there has been a e-learning boom, the global industry grew by 900% since then.
• The e-learning industry is expected to triple its size from 2020 to 2025
• The e-learning market in the US is expected to increase by more than $6 billion USD between 2017 and 2022
• The fastest-growing market in the Asia Pacific e-learning regional industry, with revenues expected to grow annually by 20%
• Growing global e-learning markets include Thailand, Philippines, India, and China, with a more than a 30% growth rate annually
• The mobile e-learning market is expected to grow to $38 billion USD by 2020
• The US government in 2019 has bought approximately $2.59 billion USD worth of e-learning products that are ‘self-paced’
• The self-paced e-learning market, however, is said to decline by 2021 to around $33.5 billion, as more experts and professionals create scheduled e-learning courses
• Gamification learning is said to be one of the biggest growing e-learning areas, with the help of VR and AR leading the way for virtual courses and classrooms.
• Microlearning is a key recent trend where learners choose small-sized learning modules to interact with educational content. In 2018, microlearning accounted for more than 60.7% of e-learning.

Online Learning Marketshare by Providers

There is a range of key players in the world of online learning. Read on to learn of the most popular e-learning providers in the industry.

• The US and Europe market account for more than 70% of the global e-learning industry
• Lynda.com, an e-learning platform received $103 million USD in venture funding in 2013
• 2 years after Lynda.com acquired its funding, Lynda was purchased by LinkedIn for $1.5 billion USD in 2015. It is now called LinkedIn Learning
• In 2017, BlackBoard had the largest market share in the US and Canada, with close to 30% of institutions using it.
• More than three-quarters of US higher education institutions and students relied on platforms such as Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, and D2L Brightspace platforms
• Virtual and Augmented reality learning is growing, with Sony selling $500 million worth of units of their PlayStation VR in 2017. It’s said that the future sees Sony using VR for learning courses
• The most popular e-learning platform for courses is Udemy, with more than 20,000 experts creating content. There are more than 12 million Udemy students taking courses
• Teachable is another leading platform, with more than 3 million students, 20,000 courses, and 7,500 experts
• Close behind, the market leaders of e-learning platforms, are WizIQ, Ruzuku, Educadium, Learnworlds, Thinkific, Academy of Mind, CourseCraft, and Skillshare
• The top teachers on Skillshare make up to $40,000 annually
• India’s most popular global e-learning sites are Tata Interactive Systems and Classteacher Learning Systems. 

Global Online Learning Statistics (e-learning) Trends

In the following online learning statistics (e-learning), you’ll notice specific trends in what’s happening globally.

• Corporate training has become a $200 billion USD industry, with e-learning taking up more than $100 billion of the market share. 
• Already back in 2011, e-learning courses were the most popular learning technology, used by 80% of employers. To this day, this remains true
• Producing and providing e-learning courses can consume 90% less energy and produces 86% fewer Co2 emissions per person than face-to-face sessions
• Actively learning engaged workforces are said to deliver almost 3 times more earnings per share of their unengaged competitors who do not regularly offer training
• 42% of companies self-report that e-learning has led to a vast increase in their revenue
• Close to 70% of organizations offer mobile learning
• More than 40% of Fortune 500 companies are using e-learning regularly and extensively
• 72% of global organizations report that e-learning give them (or could potentially give them) a competitive advantage in their industry
• More than 60% of US companies offer learning opportunities via smartphone technology
• Video web activity accounts for more than 80% of activity online globally, with a great deal of this being courses and learning videos.

For more data, you can also see our other posts on at-home learning statistics, freelancer statistics, and video conferencing statistics.

Online Learning Statistics For Businesses

Companies are starting to utilize e-learning in their staff and company training methods, and the below statistics reveal the impact this has had on their growth, revenue, and employee retention.

• E-learning is one of the top training methods within organizations of any kind
• In 2011, 51% of companies delivered training via e-learning, which was a big increase from 39% in 2010
• Corporations can save anywhere from 50-70% of their money to replacing an instructor with e-learning methods
• IMB saved approximately $200 million after switching to e-learning training methods
• By 2020, it’s projected that 98% of small businesses are planning to use e-learning for their own training, or within their company
• For every dollar spent on e-learning methods, companies are said to make back around $30 in higher productivity
• When employers spend close to $1,500 per employer annually on training, data reveals that their profit margins increase by around 25%
• Companies with comprehensive training programs online have over 200% higher revenue per employee
• E-learning has been found to increase employee retention rates by anywhere from 25-60%
• At Fortune 500 firms, 73.6% of technology-delivered training comes through various networked, online methods.

In-person vs online learning statistics

• The number of students taking at least one online course has exceeded 6.6 million.
• Online course enrollment experienced a growth rate of 5.6% in 2018.
• Overall higher education enrollment declined by 1.5%.
• Distance education has seen significant growth over the years, with an increase from 23.1% in 2012 to 35.3% in 2018.
• Online learning can increase retention rates by 25% to 60% compared to traditional classroom settings.
• E-learning allows individuals to potentially learn five times more material than in traditional classrooms.
• In-person learning still remains the dominant mode of education, but online learning is steadily gaining popularity.
• The flexibility of online learning appeals to many students, allowing them to balance education with other commitments.
• Online courses offer accessibility to learners who may not have access to traditional education due to geographical limitations.
• The convenience of online learning eliminates the need for commuting, saving time and expenses.
• Online learning provides opportunities for self-paced learning, accommodating different learning styles and preferences.
• In-person learning often emphasizes face-to-face interaction, group discussions, and immediate feedback from instructors, while online learning relies more on asynchronous communication and self-discipline.

Academic Trends for E-learning Statistics

Lastly, when it comes to academic online learning statistics (e-learning), you’ll see how much students in higher education rely on online learning methods for their education.

• 65% of US high education faculty support open educational resources
• About 50% of students reported that they took part in some form of e-learning in the past year
• E-learning students are said to learn 5 times more material for every hour of training than they do in face-to-face methods
• There’s an increase in student retention rates for e-learning courses from 35-60%, compared with 8-10% of face-to-face training methods
• Self-study e-learning tools are known as the asynchronous method
• This asynchronous method of learning accounts for more than 20% of all pieces of training delivered
• Almost half of all college students surveyed reported that digital learning was ‘extremely helpful’ for their education
• 81% of college students also agree that this technology increases their grades improvements
• Presently, half (or more, depending on the institution) of all classes for education are completed online
• Higher education institutions will soon start to implement VR and AR learning tools into their institutions in the near future.

To upskill further, check out my guide on the top free online course providers with certificates! You can also see my other posts on the benefits of eLearning and also the disadvantages of eLearning in 2024.

References

• https://teachinguide.com/blog/online-learning-platforms/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2018/07/31/e-learning-climbing-to-325-billion-by-2025-uf-canvas-absorb-schoology-moodle/#347b05b33b39
• https://elearningindustry.com/elearning-platforms-use-online-courses-10
• https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/online-education-market-2019-by-industry-size-estimation-industry-share-future-demand-dynamics-drivers-research-methodology-by-2023-2019-04-29
• https://techjury.net/stats-about/elearning/
• https://financesonline.com/25-essential-learning-management-system-e-learning-statistics-analysis-of-trends-data-and-market-share/
• https://elearningindustry.com/online-learning-statistics-and-trends
• https://financesonline.com/25-essential-learning-management-system-e-learning-statistics-analysis-of-trends-data-and-market-share/
• https://elearningindustry.com/top-elearning-statistics-2019
• https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/301248/15-facts-and-stats-that-reveal-the-power-of-elearning
• https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/247473/18-Mind-Blowing-eLearning-Statistics-You-Need-To-Know
• https://nces.ed.gov
• https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED572777
• https://www.td.org/education-courses/atd-elements/designing-and-developing-blended-learning