Over the past decade or so, the Internet has become a huge source of information and education, especially for those who might be short on time, money or other resources.

And it's not just crowdsourced data collections like Wikipedia or single-topic blogs that encourage individual learning; huge corporations and nonprofits are making online education and virtual classrooms a very formal affair these days.

From the first online classes (which were conducted by the University of Phoenix in 1989) to the present day, when online education is a $34 billion industry, more and more students are finding new life and career education opportunities online.

Check out this infographic from OnlineEducation.net about how the world of online learning has changed and grown over the years.

Click image to see larger version.

[source: Online Education]

Top image based on a photograph from iStockphoto user flyingdouglas.