degree. Online education has grown manifold; more than 7 million students took at least one online course last year alone. In contrast, as more students take online courses, the growth rate declines, and some college leaders have concerns about students' actual learning, according to a survey conducted by Babson. The percentage of academic leaders who agree that online education is equivalent to or superior to in-person academic education dropped from 77% to 74%. This was the first hiccup in a decade-long growth trend