Empirical Analysis of Return to Distance Higher Education in Different Disciplines

Abstract

Few empirical studies have analyzed the return to distance higher education in different academic disciplines. This study used quantitative methods, data from a nationwide survey, and Mincerian earnings function to analyze the return to distance higher education among different disciplines in China’s labor market. Results were compared with the return to face-to-face higher education and showed that the returns to face-to-face higher education were higher than those to distance higher education. Returns to the disciplines of economics and management were at a high level in both face-to-face and distance education; returns to the disciplines of literature, as well as education and law, were at a low level in both face-to-face and distance education. The returns to the disciplines of science and engineering were higher in face-to-face education than in distance education. This paper proposes several recommendations. Adults who do not have higher education degrees should invest in distance higher education to obtain considerable monetary returns, particularly in the disciplines with higher returns such as management and economics. China’s distance education institutions should improve the quality of teaching in science and engineering education and find ways to provide high-quality experimental teaching practices. At the same time, they should scale back on instruction of literature, as well as education and law.

The digital ecosystem of teacher education

“…The works (AREEPATTAMANNIL & SANTOS, 2019;LI, F., & WANG, 2021;RIEBER, 2017;TRETYAKOVA et al, 2020;ZHAROV et al, 2020) proved that it is the ecosystem approach that will make it possible to develop the most productive educational models that people can use for lifelong learning. Therefore, the works in which the authors present their vision of the structure, components, and functionality of educational ecosystems of different types of educational institutions as the system-forming elements of regional educational ecosystems are highly relevant BLINOV et al, 2021;KARANATOVA & KULEV, 2020).…”

Longevity of E-learning Towards Quality and Effective Delivery in Educational Institutions

“…(Riedling, 2020). It should be noted that the cost would be higher if more materials are given to students, while the cost per student of tuition varies depending on the hour of tuition given, and the student-tutor ratio (Li & Wang, 2021;Riedling, 2020). It is pertinent to note that, with many variables involved there is no guarantee that e-learning entirely could be costeffective, but it only promises the potential of being cost-effective when other factors are properly put in place.…”

The Influencing Factors of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Intention of College Students Based on AHP

“…With the development of China's economy and society and the rapid progress of higher education, the number of college graduates in China increased from 21000 in 1949 to 90.9 million in 2021 [1]. e employment of college graduates is related to economic development and social stability, and all departments attach great importance to it [2].…”