What the Japanese are learning online

This survey from MMD Labo looked at online lessons. With the pandemic and people spending more time at home, it would have been interesting to see how many people had chosen to start lessons for these reasons, but the results of that question were not offered in this summary of the survey.

I’ve not started any private lessons, although for work I’ve done a good number of free lectures I’ve found through YouTube, mostly on the subjects of GPUs and autonomous vehicles.

I’m surprised to see yoga, fitness and sports as the second-most popular genre; I can understand watching YouTube videos, but two-way lessons seem difficult without physical feedback.

Survey results

Q1: Do you know about online lessons? (Sample size=6,607)

Currently taking them	6.0%
Used to take them	5.6%
Investigating taking them	3.4%
Know about them, but never used them	35.4%
Know the term, but don’t know what kind of service they are	5.9%
Heard the term, but don’t know any more	18.7%
Don’t know anything	25.0%

Q2: What genres of lessons have you taken? (Sample size=766, multiple answer, top ten)

Foreign languages	36.7%
Yoga, fitness, sports	21.5%
Business	21.4%
Academic subjects	20.6%
Music	19.5%
IT, programming	19.5%
Cooking	18.4%
Art, design	17.2%
Fashion, beauty	16.2%
Dance, ballet	16.1%

Q3: What genres of lessons might you like to take in the future? (Sample size=766, multiple answer, top ten)

Foreign languages	36.2%
Yoga, fitness, sports	27.7%
IT, programming	27.3%
Music	24.3%
Cooking	23.0%
Business	22.6%
Fashion, beauty	21.1%
Academic subjects	19.6%
Art, design	18.9%
Sewing, accessory making	18.3%

Q4: Are there any genres of online lessons you’d like to take? (Sample size=5,841)

Yes (to SQ)	45.4%
None in particular	54.6%

Q4SQ1: What genres of lessons might you like to take? (Sample size=2,652, multiple answer, top ten)

Foreign languages	43.8%
Yoga, fitness, sports	25.6%
IT, programming	20.2%
Cooking	20.1%
Music	17.9%
Business	12.1%
Fashion, beauty	9.1%
Counselling	9.1%
Sewing, accessory making	8.9%
Fortune telling, spiritual	8.4%

The following questions were for 441 people who had taken online lessons.

Q5: How much did you spend per month for online lessons? (Sample size=441)

Under 500 yen	7.9%
500 to 999 yen	15.4%
1,000 to 1,999 yen	16.6%
2,000 to 2,999 yen	12.5%
3,000 to 3,999 yen	9.8%
4,000 to 4,999 yen	9.8%
5,000 to 5,999 yen	6.3%
6,000 to 6,999 yen	2.7%
7,000 to 7,999 yen	2.7%
8,000 to 8,999 yen	1.7%
9,000 to 9,999 yen	1.6%
Over 10,000 yen	4.1%
Free	4.8%
Don’t know, not used	4.1%

Q6: How much would a suitable monthly fee for lessons be? (Sample size=441)

Under 500 yen	5.4%
500 to 999 yen	11.1%
1,000 to 1,999 yen	15.6%
2,000 to 2,999 yen	15.2%
3,000 to 3,999 yen	9.8%
4,000 to 4,999 yen	12.9%
5,000 to 5,999 yen	9.1%
6,000 to 6,999 yen	1.8%
7,000 to 7,999 yen	3.2%
8,000 to 8,999 yen	1.9%
9,000 to 9,999 yen	3.4%
Over 10,000 yen	4.5%
Free	2.7%
Don’t know, not used	3.4%

Q7: What do you feel are the merits of online lessons? (Sample size=441, multiple answer)

Can easily start participating	38.5%
Can save time and money by not travelling	37.6%
No worries about catching COVID-19	31.1%
Can relax when taking them	28.8%
Cheap lesson fees	28.1%
Can learn a new skill	26.1%
Easy to apply	24.5%
Easy to quit	21.5%
Easy to concentrate	19.0%
Can resolve problem points	16.8%
Can become a topic of conversation	14.5%
Can get on the bandwagon	12.9%
Other	1.1%
Nothing in particular	2.7%

Q8: What do you feel are the demerits of online lessons? (Sample size=441, multiple answer)

Timelag in exchanges	25.9%
Cannot check detailed points	25.9%
Difficult to understand online	24.7%
Problems with internet setup	23.6%
Cannot keep concentration	21.3%
Bothersome	18.6%
Cannot get into the lesson mood	16.6%
Don’t feel any positive effect of the lesson	16.6%
Don’t want others to see me	16.1%
Problems with my living environment	15.6%
No space for lessons	14.5%
Fees are expensive	13.4%
Cannot continue	13.2%
Other	1.8%
Nothing in particular	7.7%

Demographics

Between the 15th and 26th of January 2021 6,607 members of the MMD Labo monitor group aged between 15 and 69 years old completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 441 of the original sample who had taken online lessons were chosen to answer further more detailed questions.