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EducationDynamics released its 2009 eLearning Index, a proprietary report designed to offer colleges and universities critical insight into trends in demand for online degrees, as well as emerging preferences of online learners. By identifying the supply and demand characteristics in online education, the exclusive insights within the EducationDynamics eLearning Index allow schools to effectively tailor program offerings to boost high-quality leads.
“Economic challenges, such as high fuels costs, rising unemployment and lowered ceilings for career advancement, impact the preferences and choices that students make about education and online formats typically prevail as a more prudent choice,” says Dr. Adam Troy, director of research at EducationDynamics. “Our research suggests that in the long-term, interest among prospective students in the financial sector is expected to diminish, while in the short-term, interest in health programs will likely increase significantly.”
Data gathered in 2008 for this year’s EducationDynamics eLearning Index is compiled from student searches on eLearners.com® of more than 2,600 degree programs representing more than 200 accredited online colleges and universities. The findings, which are presented by degree type, level, major and subject, reveal valuable shifts in program demand. In 2008, the eLearning Index shows the top degrees by degree level representing the greatest downward trend in student demand to be:
• Associate’s in Finance;
• Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Engineering;
• Bachelor’s in Sociology;
• Master’s in Business Communication;
• Master’s in Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Troy notes that the downward trend either indicates a decreased interest overall in the degrees listed above or a decreased interest in pursuing these degrees in an online format.
In addition to the intelligence above, the EducationDynamics eLearning Index captures the current landscape of demand for online higher education, offering increased specificity compared in the following areas:
1. Most highly sought after degree programs by subject, major and degree levels;
2. Degree programs that have shown to be oversaturated in the marketplace;
3. Degree programs that have demonstrated the greatest growth rate; and
4. A micro- versus macro-level analysis of specific degree types, degree subjects and majors.
Data included in the eLearning Index is aggregated annually by EducationDynamics from one of its premier websites, eLearners.com, which has been connecting learners to online education for nearly a decade. Ten years of analyzing data from millions of unique site visits annually, has resulted in a refined approach to assessing and forecasting student interest in higher education.
For schools interested in exploring additional information gleaned by the 2009 EducationDynamics eLearning Index, the report is now available on a paid subscription basis by contacting Howard Mandel, senior vice president of sales and client development of EducationDynamics, at 201.377.3020. Included with the report is two hours of an EducationDynamics analyst’s time to conduct analyses on the 2009 eLearning Index data to maximize its relevance to specific institutional goals.
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics (educationdynamics.com), a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education’s leading marketing services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through its research and advisory services division, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence, and best practice insights to its clients.
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