11 People under age 50 are most likely to have computers at home and work. As we've already noted, people in this age group are already responding to strong pressures at work to continue acquiring knowledge. Given their relatively good access to computers, they may be one of the prime audiences for distance education. Use at work is highest among people with at least a bachelor's degree. Of course, having access to a computer is only one small part of using distance education strategies.
Many people still view the traditional classroom setting as a preferable learning environment.
We asked people who plan to take a college course for credit in the next three years whether they'd prefer that such a course be taught in an on-campus classroom with an instructor present or one taught over t.v. The majority prefers the classroom, but a surprising 29 percent of respondents prefer the latter method. When it comes to learning, problems related to time and space have not yet been solved. Surprisingly, people who prefer classes using video or tv are older, less educated, and less likely to have had education or training in the last three years. They are also less likely to have a computer at home.