Significant growth reported in K-12 for online and blended learning

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) released a new international study this month that details dramatic growth worldwide in online and blended learning models. The iNACOL survey provides another interesting window into the ever-larger student populations at all levels of study that are served via online programmes, or by blended models that combine online study with face-to-face instruction. Among other examples from around the world, the study highlights the growth of online education in China, a country which opened its first online school in 1996 and now boasts more than 200 such schools with a combined enrolment in excess of 600,000 students. And Canada's westernmost province, British Columbia, comes in for honourable mention as well for the more than 70,000 students served by its online programmes. The study is available at a nominal charge at the iNACOL website.