18 e-Learning statistics you need to know

Approximate reading time: 2m 47s

However, there are still a number of companies that belong to the group of "traditionalists", whose bosses and departments dealing with human resources cannot understand the benefits of e-Learning, and do not take advantage of the benefits of this method of training.

So, we took a number of statistics we can trust and summarized them. The conclusions we've come to are sure to open your eyes, and may even change the way you think.

1. In 2011, 77% of U.S. corporations used e-Learning (in 1995, the number was only 4%). This means that the number of companies using the online learning method is increasing significantly. This is mostly because technological barriers are disappearing and customer preferences are shifting from traditional training courses to online courses.

2. The corporate training industry is estimated to be worth $200 billion. E-Learning, for now, is only $56.2 billion of that amount. This figure will become $107 by 2015 (GIA - Global Industry Analysts). This shows that online training is one of the fastest growing markets in education.

3. The market for e-Learning is no more than 13 years old (the word e-Learning was coined in 1998). Since then, e-Learning has rapidly evolved and radically changed the training industry.
If you wish, you can take a look at this infographic on the development of online learning since the 1970s: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/122582421079083705/.

4. The United States and Europe hold more than 70% of the global e-Learning market. The fastest growing market, however, is Asia-Pacific, which is expected to grow at about 20% per year.

5. eLearning is the second most important training method in corporations, which are increasingly moving towards blended learning rather than fully teacher-led. The global market for eLearning is expected to reach $100 billion by 2015 due to cost reduction, flexibility and simple training programs.

6. The fact is that more and more companies are relying on learning technologies to grow their business. According to a 2011 Towards Maturity Benchmark survey, 72% of 600 companies surveyed said that learning technologies, such as online training, help businesses adapt to change faster. The percentages from the same statistic rise to 82% last year.

7. The Asian eLearning market is expected to reach $11.5 by 2016, according to a report by New Ambient Insight. The two countries with the highest development are Vietnam (44, 3%) and Malaysia (39.4%). Right behind them are Thailand, the Philippines, India and China with about 30%-35% growth.

8. 4,600,00 college students have at least one course that is online, and by the end of 2014 this figure will increase to 18,650,000. By 2019, half of all courses will be conducted online.
If you'd like, you can watch this video titled "eLearning Revolution": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlJshzOv2cw

9. Classes conducted electronically are 25% to 60% shorter than those conducted in classrooms (according to Brandon Hall, 2001 and Rosenberg 2001).

10. In 2011, 51% of companies provided at least one online training session for more than 50% of their employees, up from 39% in 2010. For 76% of companies, the most popular form of delivering training is blended - a combination of classroom and online training. Those companies already using the eLearning method plan to develop it further.

11. According to the National Research Business Institute, 23% of employees leave companies due to lack of development and training opportunities. The loss of talent is associated with a number of costs: of money, of productivity, of investment, etc.

12. 85% of every dollar spent on classroom training goes to outsourcing the training itself (travel costs, room rental, supplies, etc.).

13. E-Learning has been shown to increase the longevity of knowledge gained by 25% to 60% (WR Hambrecht).

14. "Less than 18% of corporate eLearning courses are on topics related to learners' work. Only 23% of corporate organizations using eLearning target their training to external customers, and only 13% to suppliers" (Corporate University Xchange's Pillars of eLearning Success).

15. Corporations save 50% to 70% when they switch from teacher-led training to online learning (IOMA 2002). Training with eLearning means that courses can be taught in shorter sessions and spread across different days, so the business will not lose employees for the entire day. In addition, productivity is improved because employees no longer need to travel at peak times to get to training on time.

16. According to a 2011 Towards Maturity report, online courses were the most popular training technology that year, used by 80% of employees.

17. Classroom (or hall) training is giving way to eLearning, dropping from 70% (of all training conducted) to 62%. Accordingly, eLearning training rises to 15% of all training. This is a two-fold increase in just one year (ASTD Industry Report, 2006).

18. Not surprisingly, online training is popular especially among larger companies that save on technology. In Fortune magazine's list, the Fortune 500, which ranks the world's largest companies by gross revenue, 73.6 percent of technology-delivered courses are delivered online.

Which of these eLearning statistics was most surprising to you?