Key points:
- Student satisfaction with online learning programs remains steady
- From crisis to catalyst: Online education four years later
- Continued demand for online learning demonstrates a “major shift”
- For more news on online learning, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
The convenience and flexibility associated with online learning continue to make the learning modality a popular option for students, with existing work and family commitments the biggest motivators of online enrollment, according to BestColleges’ 10th annual Online Education Trends Report.
The survey of 1,001 online students and 184 college and university administrators presents findings in five categories: the online learning experience, marketing online programs and recruiting online students, online student satisfaction, AI in online education, and planning for the future.
Key findings include:
The online learning experience
- Dealing with unexpected life events (25 percent) and paying for higher education (24 percent) are the top challenges to online program completion, as reported by online program graduates
- The biggest concern about the online learning experience is work-life-school balance, reported by 29 percent of student respondents overall and more than one-third (34 percent) of prospective students
- Seventy-seven percent of students currently enrolled in fully online programs are enrolled full time. Of that group, 53 percent are also employed either full time (43 percent) or part time (10 percent)
Marketing online programs and recruiting online students
- Making a decision about online enrollment can be challenging–prospective students’ top concerns are tuition costs and program fees (52 percent) and finding a program that meets [their] needs and interests (34 percent)
- Online program graduates say that if they could go back, they would do more research about program costs and financial aid (27 percent), compare more programs before enrolling (26 percent), have better technology resources (20 percent), and better understand how long it would take to complete the program (19 percent)
- Online students say that skills-based training and education are important to them (88 percent), and 58 percent of prospective students would consider microcredential and certificate programs in the future
Online student satisfaction
- Student perception of the potential return on investment (ROI) of online learning continues to be strong–93 percent of all students say their online degree has or will have a positive ROI
- Ninety-seven percent of prospective online students, currently enrolled online students, and online program graduates would recommend online education to others
- Eighty-one percent of student respondents say that online is better than or equal to on-campus learning
AI in online education
- Most administrators (73 percent) see AI as a beneficial innovation in online education, and 58 percent of currently enrolled online students say they are already using it to complete class assignments and exams
- Existing institutional policies for faculty use of AI are only reported by 17 percent of administrators, but 66 percent say there is training available for those interested in exploring the use of AI tools for online teaching
- Use of AI in online program admissions seems to be in the early stages, but 41 percent of students surveyed say they would trust schools to use it to sort applications, and 39 percent would trust schools to use AI to make admissions decisions
Planning for the future
- Forty percent of administrators say their institutions are planning to increase online program development budgets in the coming year; this is a decrease from 47 percent in 2023, but an increase from 35 percent in 2021, the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic
- College and university administrators predict the most online enrollment growth over the next five years will be in health professions (29 percent), computer sciences (26 percent), and business (15 percent) programs
- Most online program graduates (73 percent) say their programs prepared them for employment after graduation, and 31 percent say they were extremely well prepared
The report also offers valuable takeaways and considerations for higher-ed leaders.
Online students encounter challenges in reaching graduation as they also seek work-life balance: The convenience of online learning continues to motivate students who are already managing other commitments, including jobs. Other concerns related to staying on track academically and not going into debt need to be actively addressed as institutions develop support services for these learners.
Meet online students where they are with what they need: To reach prospective students, institutions should focus on providing details about the financial aspects of
enrollment as well as what kinds of personalized support they can expect while enrolled. School websites and program webpages should be accurate, up-to-date, and easy to use.
Career and employment goals make microcredentials attractive to students: Short-term, skills-based learning is new to many students, but investing in these programs could attract those concerned about the cost of time and money required for traditional degree programs. Program design and development should consider hiring trends and be coordinated with institutional career development services.
Student satisfaction with online education is positive and steady: Overall, students who make the decision to enroll in online programs do so with high expectations for the value of the experience. This holds for those who are currently enrolled and those who have graduated from these programs. Tapping into these recommendations at the institutional level may be helpful for those conducting outreach to older potential applicants.
AI adoption in higher education brings benefits and ethical concerns: While many higher education professionals and students acknowledge the benefits of AI tools in their work, there are also challenges related to ethical use, privacy, and plagiarism. Institutions that have initiated training and policies for stakeholders must strive to stay current, and those that have not yet addressed these areas must do so quickly.
Online education success requires purposeful and effective institutional support: Higher education is changing faster than ever before for all stakeholders. Planning for the future should include a focus of all resources on the development of programs and services that not only meet the needs and preferences of students but also serve to prepare those students to prosper in a rapidly changing world of work.
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