The boundaries of education are constantly being pushed. We used to think of school as a teacher and a room full of students. Through advancements in technology, those rules are being changed with distance education, allowing millions of students to get a quality education without ever entering a traditional classroom.

Across the country, the growth rate of distance learning at colleges and universities continues to outpace standard enrollment, with yearly increases ranging from 5%-20% over the last few years. Enrollment in fall 2011 was up over 8% from the previous year alone.

According a report released by U.S. Department of Education in 2011, 20% of all undergraduate students took some form of distance education courses in the 2007-2008 school year. Over 3.5% of students took their entire program through a distance education program. These numbers show no sign of waning.

So what’s the reason for the trend?

First and foremost, the technology is constantly improving, allowing schools to provide a more engaging and enriching learning experience. As the technology improves and we seek convenience as well as time savings, students are demanding more flexibility with their schooling.

The cost savings to students and schools is also significant. Student’s miles away from a school no longer are required to drive long distances for their classes. Schools can have a single teacher instruct hundreds of students at a time.

And it’s not just colleges taking advantage of the benefits of distance learning. Primary and secondary education institutions are utilizing the technology for a variety of uses, including bringing experts in to the classroom, which wasn’t previously practical. The experience is also enhancing the way we interact and communicate in the classroom. Distance Learning is breaking down barriers of time, distance and cost.

AVI Systems is providing schools with the necessary equipment to get the most of their distance learning programs. Please contact us and we will be able to discuss ways that you can bring distance learning into your classrooms and institutions.