According to the study, 40% of women who learn online generate income for the economy
Increasing access to online education for women can improve their economic opportunities and help them develop new skills and pursue new careers, according to a report produced jointly with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. .
According to the study, 40% of women learning online generates revenue for the economy and could add up to $14 billion in value to online education globally by 2026.
This new report titled ‘Women and Online Education in Emerging Markets’, developed in partnership with the Global Online Learning Platform Coursera and the European Commission, analyze data to quantify women’s participation in online learning, identify barriers to increased participation, and offer recommendations to the public and private sectors to improve women’s lifelong opportunities and outcomes.
Improvement through online courses
“Our study showed that giving women better access to online education can create new career prospects and make the workforce more diverse and competitive. This, in turn, can potentially translate into new jobs and economic growth in Brazil,” says Nicole Amaral, Coursera’s Skills Transformation Lead for Latin America and the Caribbean.
“We hope that our research will inspire governments, business and academic leaders to take action, and that leaders introduce initiatives that can help address some of the key issues facing women in Brazil, such as free broadband access, options more flexible continuous training courses and more job opportunities.”
The strength of women in the economic recovery
Juan Gonzalo Flores, country manager of IFC Mexico, comments: “Women are at the heart of the recovery efforts after the Covid-19 pandemic. Job losses for Latina women were 2.5 times greater than for men, and recovery has been slow. This study shows that online education offers a useful tool to help women find new jobs, as well as help create much-needed new jobs for the economy.
In Brazil, access to education is essential to improve socio-economic conditions. One relationship of the World Bank points out that in the country having a university degree (compared to having just finished high school) means, on average, a 125% higher salary. Likewise, one study of ANPEC points out that those who complete a basic level professional course earn, on average, 37% more than those who did not.
Online learning can lead to career outcomes in emerging markets.
- • About a third of female students surveyed said they had found a new job, started a business, or improved their job or business performance after taking online courses.
- • 22% of women saw an increase in their income, nearly 40% of whom reported an increase of 10% or more.
- • Nearly half (47%) of students who signed up for Coursera to start or grow their business did so – and men and women did the same.
- • Online education produces gains within the wider economy through direct and indirect effects: one job is created for every 30 people trained on Coursera in the four reference countries.
The increased demand for online learning will likely outlast the pandemic.
- • During the pandemic, women’s participation in online learning globally increased from an average of 39% in the previous three years to 45% in 2020 and 2021.
- • Nearly all students said they plan to continue learning online (75%) or blended format (24%) after the pandemic.
Women and other underprivileged populations find online learning more accessible than face-to-face education.
- • While in North America and Latin America women make up about half of online students, globally there are gaps in women’s participation. Women make up just 32% of platform students in Africa, 34% in the Middle East and 39% in Asia Pacific.
- • 45% of women and 60% of healthcare professionals said they would have to postpone or stop studying if online learning was not an option.
- • Nearly half of the students surveyed reported having low incomes.
- • Among students in Mexico and India who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+), 40% said they were more likely to ask questions, and more than half (51%) expressed their own concerns online. reviews compared to traditional classes.
- • 17% of all students self-identify as having SEN, signaling a slight preference for blended learning.
The pandemic has brought more students to online courses
While the pandemic has impacted the education sector, particularly in emerging economies, it has also brought more students to e-learning. The report says that more women have enrolled in Coursera courses than before the pandemic, and online learning has enabled 40% of women and 60% of healthcare professionals to access an education they otherwise would not have gotten.
Globally, according to the analysis, one job is created for every 30 people trained on Coursera in the four target countries. Improving skills and qualifications creates new jobs through the creation of new businesses. Likewise, new jobs are generated indirectly, through increased consumption and economic activities attributed to increased income.
The study is based on user data from nearly 97 million Coursera students in more than 190 countries, surveys of nearly 10,000 students worldwide, and interviews with more than 70 students worldwide and industry experts.
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Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
