Can Online Learning Bend the Higher Education Cost Curve?

Abstract

The earnings premium associated with additional education in the United States has risen markedly since 1980, suggesting that the supply of educated labor has not kept pace with demand (e.g., Goldin and Katz 2008). Yet the status of U.S. higher education funding is a key impediment to growing the supply of skills. Inflation-adjusted state appropriations for higher Online learning technologies are regarded by most observers as the best hope for cost-saving innovations in higher education, with the primary channel being reduced labor costs through larger class size and less face-to-face interaction (Bowen 2012). Much research on the use of online technology in the classroom has focused on its potential for "disruptive innovation" in higher education, from superstar professors teaching elaborate courses developed by teams, to Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offering top notch instruction to students worldwide (Christensen and Eyring 2011;Cowen and Tabarrok 2014).In this paper we study whether online education can "bend the cost curve" in traditional higher education. We focus on degree-seeking undergraduates attending open access and less-* Corresponding author Deming: Harvard Graduate School of Education,

Does blended instruction enhance English language learning in developing countries? Evidence from Mexico

“…Although we are not able to provide a precise estimate of the start-up expenditures in developing the blended course, we do have information regarding the student-teacher ratio before and after the policy change in all the targeted English courses. One reason for the support behind the expansion of online learning is that it has the potential to help address funding insufficiencies in higher education by increasing student to teacher ratio and reducing the average cost per (5) student for instruction (Cukier, 1997;Deming, Goldin, Katz, & Yuchtman, 2015). Since online learning does not have physical space limitations on enrollment, colleges can increase class sizes in online or blended courses as a response to changes in demand relatively easily compared to brick-and-mortar classrooms.…”

Studying from Home? Do Private and Public Benefits Go Side by Side?

“…The total HOU expense per student is €1024.84. 10 From this amount we have to subtract the amount related to tuition fees i.e., €912.41 (see above subsection Private cost results in HOU) that is a part of the university's budget but it is calculated here under the "private cost" of studies. Therefore, the total univer- 8 This Special Account for Research Funds is called ELKE in Greek.…”

Which STEM majors enroll in online courses, and why should we care? The impact of ethnicity, gender, and non-traditional student characteristics

“…Department of Education, 2013). Non-selective two-and four-year institutions enroll 8.5 percent of their students fully online, compared to only 1.5 percent in highly selective institutions (Deming, Goldin, Katz, & Yuchtman, 2015). This may be important to consider as students who attend community colleges and work towards associate degrees are more likely to come from traditionally underrepresented groups with more disadvantaged backgrounds (Mooney & Foley, 2011;U.S.…”