Key points:
- Online learning drives accessibility, innovation, personalization, and workforce readiness
- Students continue to demand online learning options
- Top trends, takeaways point to online learning’s staying power
- For more news on online learning, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
The surge in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath brought significant changes to higher education, but as the dust settled, the effectiveness of this increasingly popular mode of learning is under scrutiny. A recent analysis found that fewer than half of students at the largest nonprofit online institutions earn a degree within eight years.
The problem may not lie with online learning itself, however, but with the limited vision of its potential. Too often, institutions treat online programs primarily as tools to boost enrollment. One recent survey found that 92 percent of chief online learning officers said online programs help recruit students from within their institution’s region, while 87 percent noted the ability to reach learners outside their traditional geographic borders. But focusing primarily on enrollment numbers obscures the broader possibilities of online learning.
When centered on student outcomes, online learning holds immense potential to fundamentally transform how institutions approach education. To unlock these transformational benefits, institutions will need to shift their perspective from seeing online programs merely as a means to grow enrollment to recognizing their capacity to drive meaningful change for students.
Driving pedagogical innovation: Online education can foster a culture of experimentation and innovation. The flexibility of online platforms enables educators to test new teaching strategies that might be difficult to implement in traditional classrooms. Arizona State University, for example, offers a fully online biology degree that incorporates virtual reality to provide students with access to state-of-the-art laboratories. The approach allows online learners to conduct experiments and engage with cutting-edge lab environments from the convenience of their own homes.
Over time, these kinds of innovations can inform and improve on-campus instruction as well, creating a ripple effect across an institution’s offerings. Practices and technology developed for the online environment often can be adapted to serve on-campus students. After an emergency shift to remote learning during COVID-19 lockdowns, faculty at Atlantic Technical College, a two-year college in Fort Lauderdale, continued using its learning management system to guide instruction for its face-to-face learners.
Enhancing accessibility and inclusivity. Online learning has the power to redefine inclusion in higher education. By breaking down barriers to access, it opens the doors for students who might otherwise struggle to participate in traditional on-campus programs. For learners with intellectual and physical disabilities, online platforms allow higher education to meet them where they are, eliminating the need to travel to or navigate physical campuses.
At the same time, digital platforms are often more compatible with accessibility tools like screen readers and captioning. Online programs can also extend an institution’s reach to geographically distant populations, allowing rural and other underserved communities to access high-quality education without the cost or burden of relocation.
But inclusivity in online learning does not happen by default. It requires institutions to take deliberate steps to leverage tools and technologies to create accessible courses. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has used rubrics created by Quality Matters to evaluate and enhance the accessibility of its online offerings. Throughout the process, the university found that faculty members were eager to improve accessibility but they lacked the knowledge to do so. The rubric provided a clear framework for instructors, empowering them to enhance the learning experience for all students.
Improving student success through personalization: Personalization is a hallmark of high-quality online learning. Regardless of whether a student lives on campus or not, advanced analytics and adaptive learning tools enable institutions to monitor student progress in real-time, identify challenges, and provide targeted support. This proactive approach can empower students to learn at their own pace, fostering deeper engagement and understanding.
At Northern Arizona University, students can enroll in personalized, competency-based online programs that can be completed at their own speed. A subscription-based tuition model allows students to work through as many courses as they can in a six-month period, providing greater flexibility and affordability. The University of Wisconsin offers a similar opportunity through its Flexible Option program. Designed for working adults with prior college credit or on-the-job experience, the program is untethered to traditional semester schedules.
Supporting lifelong learning and workforce development: In an era where continuous skill development is essential, online learning provides a critical pathway for lifelong education. Colleges and universities can use online programs to offer stackable credentials, microcredentials, and industry-aligned certificates that help learners meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
Adult learners who might otherwise have had to put their careers on hold while they take the time to upskill can balance courses with their busy schedules. Howard University, for instance, has leveraged online learning to expand its reach and better serve adult learners. Recently, Howard introduced an Undergraduate Degree Completion Program designed for adult learners who have previously earned at least 60 credit hours. This flexible online program allows these students to easily return to school and complete a bachelor’s degree in Human Development.
The potential of online learning is far greater than increasing enrollment numbers. By embracing online learning as a driver of accessibility, innovation, personalization, and workforce readiness, colleges and universities can transform not only how they deliver education but how they serve society as a whole. The true power of online learning lies in its ability to reimagine what higher education can be.
Dr. Racheal Brooks is Director of Quality Assurance Implementation Solutions at Quality Matters and formerly served as director of e-learning at North Carolina Central University, a public Historically Black University based in Durham, North Carolina.
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