The number of Chinese students undertaking part of their education online grew by double-digits for the seventh consecutive year, according to a co-study by Chinese business services provider iResearch and online education provider XuetangX. But while uptake has increased, it appears online-only will not replace traditional education anytime soon.
The study, found a significant increase in the uptake of online, with a 23.8% increase in 2016, followed by an anticipated 20.5% increase for 2017. These increases will bring total users to 100.1 million.
MOOCs 2.0, which incorporate blended offline and online learning, have been one of the most significant contributors to the increased usage of online courses for Chinese students, as they begin to look towards opportunities to supplement their education.
“The emergence of MOOC make Chinese learners accessible to lectures of masters such as Noble Prize winners and psychology professors from Harvard while sitting at home. This is a win-win process.”