Recession and online classes

Ms. Allen also expects the number of students enrolled in online courses, which two-year and private for-profit colleges have embraced, to rise during the recession. Back in November, the Sloan survey asserted that the high cost of gasoline might compel more people to learn from home. Although gas prices have since fallen, Ms. Allen said she still expects the struggling economy to push more students into online courses for other reasons.

“If you don’t have a job, lowering your gas costs is not your primary motivation for going back to school online,” she said. “Time-wise, you have the flexibility of logging online and taking the course whenever you want. We also see that most of the online learners are older, and there are family issues.” With online programs, she said, “you don’t have to leave your house. If you have a family, that’s going to make things much easier for you.”

If the recession does move more adults into cyberclassrooms, it will accelerate a trend that has been happening since the Sloan Consortium began publishing its online-education reports

That is an excerpt from the Chronicle--my go-to site every morning for news and updates on the academic front.

Of course, the Sloan Consortium has an online agenda.  But even otherwise, it is only common sense that people without jobs--and that number is rapidly increasing--would way prefer to upgrade their academic qualifications from their homes as opposed to rushing around to classes.  They would rather rush around to meet with people for possible job openings.