Nontraditional learners such as single parents, persons who work shift hours or a non-nine-to-five jobs are usually who we think about as a non-traditional learner. With the surge of online higher educational learners, this is simply not always the case.
Since non-traditional learning is becoming the norm, there is an increase in options for online learning. Online instructions are a subset of a regular institution most of the time so getting your degree at jobs a brick-and-mortar campus no longer means moving or not getting into a school because of classroom size.
We think of nontraditional learners, or online learners as single parents who need night classes, or someone looking to study after work hours. But many nontraditional learners are people who just cannot physically get to a brick-and-mortar campus but need a certain program at a certain school. That is the best part of online education because it allows these students to learn that may be beyond the border of a specific campus, city or country.
The next few years will be crucial to see if students stay in their online programs or choose to return to campuses across the world. Although many assume traditional learning will look the same as it has for many decades, others believe this will no longer be a student’s first choice in their educational journey.
