As we look at the differences between demographic groups enrolled in online versus campus-based programs, we will see that online can provide access to certain groups underrepresented in the higher education conversation. As some barriers have been mostly overcome with the maturity of the online market (namely the acceptance of online delivery) other barriers still may be limiting the ability of online in helping to meet enrollment goals at institutions as well as goals set by state federal government.
In further breaking down the groups into institutional types, namely for and non-profit, we will show that for-profit institutions have been able to reach larger and more diverse sub-groups compared to their non-profit counterparts. In examining current and past demographic trends, we will look to identify what barriers are limiting possible future online growth and how these can potentially be overcome as higher education strives to meet the Obama Administration's 2020 Goal?
By using data sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we can show that students attending wholly or majority online institutions represent older age bands compared to higher education demographic statistics in general, and there is also important variations in race. Yet other demographic groups and sub-groups do not appear to differ, which shows that the delivery mode has not solved the problem of underrepresentation of certain groups.
Additionally, recently collected primary data from a number of institutions will also be examined to provide a picture of what demographic groups have historically responded best to online higher education at both for-profit and non-profit institutions. Are for-profits, as Secretary Duncan recently said, important to achieving the Obama Administration's ambitious education goals? Or will non-profits also play an ever increasing role in meeting these goals?
