Proportions of different course types taken by students over twenty years

The three pie charts illustrate the distribution of student enrollment across various course formats in 1984, 1994, and 2004. Overall, it is evident that traditional face-to-face instruction became less dominant over time, whereas alternative learning methods, particularly mixed media, gained considerable traction.

In 1984, face-to-face courses were the clear preference, accounting for 67% of all enrollments. Correspondence courses followed at 20%, with mixed media making up the remaining 13%. By 1994, the proportion of students choosing face-to-face learning had dropped to 54%. During this same decade, online courses emerged, capturing 11% of the market, while correspondence remained stable at 20% and mixed media rose slightly to 15%.

By 2004, the shift away from traditional classrooms was more pronounced, with face-to-face courses falling to 40%. Conversely, mixed media courses surged to 35%, becoming a major alternative. Correspondence courses saw a slight decline to 15%, and online courses remained relatively stagnant at 10%. In summary, the data reflects a clear transition from traditional classroom-based education toward more flexible, technology-integrated learning formats over the two decades surveyed.