This is the first part of the post on how you can become an online teacher. Part 2 will follow shortly.
There has never been a better time to become an online teacher. Widespread Internet access has radically reshaped global education. The traditional classroom setting no longer confines learning. Books are no longer the source of learning. Technology has opened access to education in many ways. Today, learning materials come in various forms, such as books, audio, images, videos, graphics, animations, and so on, and are readily available online.
Opportunities are not limited to learning on the Internet by individuals only. Various learning platforms have offered courses to the public at affordable prices, such as Udemy, Khan Academy, and Coursera. Most colleges and universities now offer online courses either completely online or as a combination of online and traditional classroom methods, ranging from degree programs to short courses. Access to learning opportunities today is unprecedented in scope, thanks to technology!
So, as the opportunities for online learning grow, so are the opportunities for online teachers, educators, tutors, and instructors.
The Global Online Learning Market Statistics
E-Learning was worth $107 billion in 2015 (McCue, 2018). According to Research and Markets, the online education market was estimated at US$ 382.53 billion in 2025. It is estimated to increase to US$ 1.00 trillion by 2034, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.32% during the period 2026-2034 (Research and Markets Ltd, 2026).
In addition, the following statistics from SkillsCouter show the rapid growth of online learning:
- According to Corporate e-learning reports, the effect of increasing knowledge retention ranges from 25 – 60%
- About 80% of companies used online learning platforms in 2017, and it has continued to rise.
- The report shows that 60% of Internet users reported preferring online courses because they fit their lifestyles and schedules.
- The report reveals that the value of virtual and augmented reality education software is projected to reach $300 million USD in revenue by 2020.
- Since 2000, the e-learning global industry has grown by 900%
- The e-learning industry is expected to triple in size from 2020 to 2025
- The e-learning market in the US is expected to increase by more than $6 billion USD between 2017 and 2022
- In Asia, the fastest-growing market is expected to grow by 20% in revenue annually.
- The growing global e-learning markets include Thailand, Philippines, India, and China, with more than a 30% annual growth rate
- The mobile e-learning market is expected to grow to $38 billion USD by 2020. According to Mordor Intelligence, the Mobile Learning Market size is estimated at USD 95.77 billion in 2026, and is expected to reach USD 200.24 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 15.89% during the forecast period (2026-2031), (Mobile Learning Market – Size, Share & Industry Analysis, n.d.).
- The US government in 2019 bought approximately $2.59 billion USD worth of e-learning products that are ‘self-paced’
- The US and Europe markets account for more than 70% of the global e-learning market.
- The top teachers on Skillshare make up to $40,000 annually.
- Corporate training has become a $200 billion USD market, with e-learning taking up more than half of this amount.
The Nature of Online Teaching
Online teachers, educators, or instructors are also known as remote, distance or virtual teachers. They have acquired skills to teach students online. The courses they provide can be blended courses, a combination of face-to-face and online instruction, or one that is fully run through online learning. These are technically known as asynchronous and synchronous learning.
Teaching online offers a wide range of opportunities for teachers or educators. There are opportunities to teach subjects, ranging from elementary school subjects to college or university courses. Teachers can work full-time or part-time.
Being an online tutor can sound a bit scary, especially if you are not already a teacher in the traditional sense. The kind of questions you would be asking right now likely are: how does one become an online tutor, and how do you prepare a course? How does one find students? And how does one organise everything? Fortunately, many online teaching platforms provide services that address the issues raised and more. In fact, if you decide to take your courses online as an online tutor, the road to success has already been made clear for you.
Who Can Teach Online?
Who can teach online? Well, the short and simple answer is that anyone can. If you are already in a teaching- and helping profession, as a counsellor, instructor, educator or adviser, you have a knowledge base you can transfer to online teaching and expand your career. Even if you are not in a teaching-related career, you likely have a lot of experience in some subjects that you can develop to become an online teacher. Online teaching careers are not limited to the teaching profession only. It is open to all sorts of instructors ranging from graphic designers to registered nurses. You have the advantage if you are already in the teaching profession. However, to be an online teacher, it does not matter whether you have a formal education in this regard, or learned your skills on the job, or you are self-taught. You can become a successful online teacher if you have the interest and the ability to teach others.
The Impact of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning
According to Science Direct, Lifelong Education is defined as “Lifelong learning is the development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills, and understanding they will require throughout their lifetimes and to apply them with confidence, creativity, and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances, and environments. (Longworth and Davies, 1996). Lifelong learning has elements of adult education, continuing education, self-directed learning, and the ideal of the individual reaching his/her full potential.”
Education is a core element of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve this goal, access to the Internet is fundamental not only to increase learning opportunities but also to improve the quality of education and the quality of life. Many people will agree that learning goes beyond the traditional classroom, and it is not wrong to say that, in fact, the best learning happens later in life after traditional education.
Humans by nature are lifelong learners, as life itself is a learning process. The tools made available by technology today have greatly enhanced the human desire to learn and grow. Learning opportunities are now available and accessible through leveraging both eLearning and lifelong learning.
References
Agarwal, A. (2019). Three Education Trends That Will Revolutionize The Workplace In 2019. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anantagarwal/2019/01/02/three-education-trends-that-will-revolutionize-the-workplace-in-2019/#741f2a026363 [Accessed 17 Apr. 2020].
Alton, L. (n.d.). Workplace Changes Are Accelerating: Why And What Millennials Should Do About It. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2018/02/01/workplace-changes-are-accelerating-why-and-what-millennials-should-do-about-it/#5687e6122def [Accessed 17 Apr. 2020].
eLearning Industry. (2016). 7 Tips On How To Prepare For Teaching Online. [online] Available at: https://elearningindustry.com/7-tips-prepare-for-teaching-online [Accessed 20 Apr. 2020].
George, S. (2017). Smarter With Gartner. [online] Gartner.com. Available at: https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/6-ways-the-workplace-will-change-in-the-next-10-years/ [Accessed 17 April 2020].
Gourani, S. (2019). This is How the Future of Work-Life Balance Will Look Like. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/soulaimagourani/2019/05/03/this-is-how-the-future-of-work-life-balance-will-look-like/#1c308c6134ce [Accessed 28 Apr. 2020].
Martin (2018). Education – United Nations Sustainable Development. [online] United Nations Sustainable Development. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/.In-text citation: (Martin, 2018)
McCue, T.J. (2018). E Learning Climbing To $325 Billion By 2025 UF Canvas Absorb Schoology Moodle. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2018/07/31/e-learning-climbing-to-325-billion-by-2025-uf-canvas-absorb-schoology-moodle/#2f3123673b39 [Accessed 20 Apr. 2020].
Sciencedirect.com. (2012). Lifelong Education – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/lifelong-education [Accessed 15 June 2020].
SkillScouter. (2019). 79+ Staggering Online Learning Statistics [2020] [UPDATE]. [online] Available at: https://skillscouter.com/online-learning-statistics/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2020]
Totaljobs.com. (2019). Superflexibility – the work-life balance rules are changing | totaljobs. [online] Available at: https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/work-life-balance/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2020].
World Bank. (2019). World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work. [online] Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2019. [Accessed 17 April 2020]
