Share this article Share this article SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Online learning is booming as a productive use of otherwise idle time during COVID-19 lockdowns. According to a new report from Class Central, the world's most popular catalog of free online courses, major providers of massive open online courses (MOOCs) have recorded 180 million learners, making 2020 the most consequential year for MOOCs since their inception in 2011. Class Central, the No. 1 search engine for free online courses, saw 18+ million visitors in 2020—more than double the entire year of 2019. "People have interest, a desire to improve themselves, and, all of the sudden, they have time," says Class Central founder Dhawal Shah. "Global quarantines mean explosive growth for us."