Adult education, accredited web-based schools (discontinued), 2000

Three out of four courses were given the opportunity of taking a public exam; this is a lower rate than the year before.

Fewer completed courses

The number of completed courses has dropped in recent years. In 1999 just under 40 000 courses were completed, while in 2000 the number was barely 38 000. This does not mean that distance teaching activities have declined. Each course has a calculated number of tuition periods. There seems to be a tendency for participants to take courses with more tuition periods. The total number of calculated or standardized tuition periods was namely higher in 2000 than in 1999. The courses completed in 1999 amounted to 6 063 000 tuition periods, while courses in 2000 amounted to 6 083 000 tuition periods, or 20 000 more tuition periods.

Most courses at the upper secondary level

Most courses taken at distance teaching institutions are courses that are classified in relation to the ordinary educational system. In 2000, 60 per cent of all courses were at the upper secondary level. Eighty per cent of these courses, altogether nearly 18 500 courses, led to a public exam. More than 10 000 courses were at the university and college level. Nearly 90 per cent of the courses at the university and college level qualified the participants for a university or college exam. Around 28 500 course completions were given the opportunity of taking a public exam. Less than 6 000 had the possibility of taking an internal exam, and 3 500 courses were not connected with any examinations. Only 14 per cent of all course completions were not specified in relation to level.

30 and 40-year-olds take most courses

Ninety-seven per cent of the data basis for 2000 is broken down by age. Persons aged 30-49 completed a total of 26 500 distance teaching courses. This makes up 70 per cent of all course completions. Sixteen per cent of the courses were completed by persons aged 20-29. Persons aged 50-59 accounted for 10 per cent of the completed courses. Participants over the age of 60 made up less than one per cent.

Age composition also varied in relation to subject selection. Most participants aged 20-29 took courses in social studies and business and ICT. Business and ICT subjects made up 25 per cent of all course completions for the age group 30-39. Many also took courses in social studies, science, industry and technical subjects, and in transport and communications subjects. Business and ICT subjects were also the most popular among 40-49 year olds while health, social and sports subjects were also well represented.

More women than men

More distance teaching courses are completed by women than men. In 1999 nearly women completed 54 per cent of the course completions, while the corresponding figure for 2000 was 56 per cent. In the age 40-49 age bracket 8 400 of the courses were completed by women, while 4 900 courses were completed by men.

Gender differences were evident in choices of subjects. Nearly half of the courses taken by women were courses in health, social and sports subjects, and social studies. Subjects in business and ICT and organization and management also made up a large percentage of courses taken by women. Among women aged 40-49, 27 per cent chose health, social and sports subjects. Men took 4 300 courses in science, industrial and technical subjects, while women took only 850. Nearly 70 per cent of the courses taken by men were in science, industrial and technical subjects, business and ICT subjects, and transport and communication.

Courses in aesthetics, handicrafts, services and humanities and philosophical subjects had few male participants. Men completing courses in one of these three areas made up only 2 per cent of completed courses. By comparison, courses completed by women in the same subjects accounted for 12 per cent.

People from Hedmark take the most courses

Most of the course participants were residents of Oslo, Akershus, Rogaland and Hordaland counties. On a per capita basis, however, participation was highest in Hedmark, Vest-Agder, Nordland and Sogn og Fjordane. Course participation was highest in Hedmark, with around 24 course completions per 1000 residents aged 14-60, and the lowest in Oslo, with 9.5. The national average was 13.7 course completions per 1000 residents between 14 and 60 years.