This chapter looks at the extent to which respondents have used online learning resources and tools. As with all the data in this publication, the data was collected during the first two quarters of 2022 when varying levels of COVID-19 restrictions were in place.
Over three in ten internet users (31%) reported doing an online course in 2022, with females more likely than males to do a course online – one third (33%) of females compared with 29% of males. See Table 4.1.
Analysis of the 2022 data by age shows that 34% of the 30 to 44 years age group did a course online, while one in eight (13%) older internet users aged 60 to 74 years did a course online in 2022. For persons whose principal economic status was at work, 36% reported doing a course online, while just one in twelve (8%) of persons on home duties did an online course. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.
Some internet users used online learning material and resources to aid their learning (such as audio-visual materials, online learning software, electronic textbooks, etc.) other than a complete online course. Using online learning material other than a complete online course (such as audio-visual materials, online learning software, electronic textbooks) was reported by 38% of internet users, up two percentage points on the same period in 2021. More males than females used this type of learning resource in 2022 – 45% of males compared with over one third (35%) of females. The 2022 survey data shows that there was a greater prevalence of this type of learning activity in households with children. Almost six in ten (59%) of internet users in households comprising of three of more adults with dependent children used online learning material such as audio-visual materials, online learning software, electronic textbooks, etc., while this learning resource was used by 45% of persons in households of two adults with children and in over four in ten (42%) single parent families. See Table 4.1.
One in five (20%) communicated with educators/instructors online, using audio or video online tools such as Zoom, MS Teams, Google Classroom, Seesaw, Edmodo, etc.) while 44% did not take partake in any online learning. See Table 4.1.
In the 2022 survey, respondents who had online learning of some sort were asked for its purpose. Almost two thirds said that it was for professional/work purposes, while one in five (20%) said that it was for formal education, such as for school or university, and over four in ten (42%) of those who had undertaken learning online cited that it was for private purpose. See Table 4.2.
Analysis of the survey data by sex shows that almost double the number of females than males had partake in online learning activities for formal education purposes – 27% of females compared with one in seven (14%) of males. Similar numbers of males and females had used online learning resources for professional/work purposes, while 45% of males said that some or all of their online learning was for private purpose compared with just short of four in ten (39%) of females. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.2.
Of persons aged 30 to 59 years who had used online learning resources in the previous three months, eight in ten and over said that some or all of this online learning was for professional/work purpose, compared with less than half (49%) of persons aged 60 to 74 years who had used online learning resources. For this older age cohort, two thirds (66%) said that they had undertaken online learning activities for private purpose. See Table 4.2.
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