eLearning

Washington's community and technical colleges deliver a high quality education to over 80,900 students each year through a variety of elearning modalities. With enrollments in at least one elearning course now accounting for nearly 17 percent of all students in the two year public college system in Washington, timely information is essential for all of the institutions.

Links on this Web site provide access to a broad spectrum of elearning information and data related to all aspects of elearning in Washington, as well as best practices across the country.

eLearning Enrollments

FALL 2002 TO FALL 2006

This fall, 11 percent of all students enrolled in at least one distance learning class, compared to 8 percent five years ago.  Elearning is defined as a credit or non-credit class where teachers and students are physically separated for a predominant amount of the instructional contact hours. 

In fall 2006, elearning accounted for 13,278 FTEs, or 8 percent of the total FTEs. Elearning FTEs grew 5 percent in fall 2006.  State supported FTEs accounted for 86 percent of all elearning.  Some 12,212 students enrolled exclusively at a distance.  The majority (88 percent) enrolled exclusively in online courses. 

Online instruction is the predominant mode of elearning (88 percent).  It is also the most rapidly growing segment of elearning, increasing 17 percent in fall 2006.

The majority of elearning was in the liberal arts, social science, information technology and humanities.  Workforce distance learning classes are growing, however.  Of the total enrollments, about 19 percent of all social sciences and 14 percent of all information technology instruction was offered via elearning.

FALL eLEARNING FTES AND HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENTS