Chapter 7 -- Distance Learning: Defining the Market
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Estimates are that the worldwide distance education market will be about $8.25 billion
by 1997.
Challenges
- But there are challenges ahead in delivering electronically-based higher education to
the world.
- In Asia telecommunications infrastructure development is uneven; in Europe the
telecommunications infrastructure is advanced but the potential student body is smaller,
and the culture hasn't traditionally promoted open access to higher education; in South
America and Africa the market is large, but the infrastructure is undeveloped and politics
in many countries are unstable.
- In North America challenges are fewer; the market is large and proven.
Continental Campuses
- With current satellites, it's possible to beam distance learning programs to every
continent on the planet. One of Jones' missions is to create five electronic campuses
using five existing telecommunications satellites. The campuses' reach will replicate the
satellites "footprints" on Earth.
Corporate Education and Training
- The market for electronically-delivered corporate education and training is growing.
Right now less than 20% of corporate training is delivered electronically; by 2000 that
percentage is projected to grow to 50%.
- Universities, nonprofits, corporations, and public private partnerships are beginning to
beam corporate education and training almost everywhere.
- Some examples:
 Executive
Education Network. Provides education and training for companies via real-time
satellite TV to the work site. Plans to go international.- Jones
Education Company. Provides education and training for companies via satellite, cable,
video and Internet-based technologies to home or work site on flexible time schedule.
Operates internationally.
- National
Technological University. Provides satellite-delivered education and training to the
work site on flexible time schedules. Operates Internationally.
- Europace. Provides satellite-delivered
training to the work site. Operates internationally.
- Ford Motor Company. Provides satellite and
Internet-delivered training to Ford work sites and dealerships in North America and, soon,
internationally.
Universities Tap Market
New York University and the University of Michigan, are two of several universities
worldwide that have gone into the business of providing electronically-based for-credit
business and technology training and degree programs for corporations.
Also in this chapter
 China's higher education
infrastructure,
- The U.S. market for distance
education,
- The World Bank's plan for
distance education in Africa,
- Convergence: The integration
of computers, television, and telecommunications,
- Statistics on corporate
spending on education and training in several countries,
- The Annenberg School of
Communications global course prototype.
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