It’s been 5 years since faculties moved their instructing and studying on-line in response to the COVID pandemic, and Inside Greater Ed’s 2025 Survey of Campus Chief Know-how/Info Officers, launched at the moment, reveals that whereas on-line studying should be adjusting to a brand new post-pandemic regular, it’s not going wherever.
Half of surveyed CTOs point out that scholar demand for on-line and/or hybrid course choices has elevated considerably 12 months over 12 months at their establishment. Almost the identical share say their school has added a considerable variety of new on-line or hybrid course choices over the identical interval. In the meantime, the latest Altering Panorama of On-line Training Venture report discovered one thing related: Almost half of chief on-line studying officers surveyed mentioned that enrollment in on-line diploma applications at their establishment is now larger than that of on-campus applications—and much more mentioned their school had undergone a strategic shift in response to such demand.
And even whereas figuring out elevated scholar curiosity in on-site studying for sure actions, the 2025 College students and Know-how Report from Educause additionally reveals common scholar appreciation of versatile studying codecs and an outright choice for on-line programs amongst older learners.
Amid this rising demand for on-line and hybrid programs, we surveyed college students learning in several modalities to know how their wants and pursuits would possibly differ.
Our annual Scholar Voice survey of 5,025 two- and four-year learners with Era Lab polled learners about their research experiences relative to their friends taking all their programs on-line and people taking a mixture of each in-person and on-line programs, as of spring 2024. We appeared for gaps in responses and key overlaps between these teams, together with probably counterintuitive responses from online-only learners. (The survey requested all college students about educational success, well being and wellness, involvement in school life, profession readiness, and extra.)
Consultants say the findings, listed under, have huge implications for establishments trying to higher serve on-line learners. One clear takeaway, up entrance? On-line-only college students’ sense of belonging—a scholar success issue linked to educational efficiency, persistence and psychological well being—lags that of friends learning in particular person. However selling belonging amongst on-line learners might look totally different than it does in different classroom settings.
“On the whole, if we wish to foster belonging amongst on-line learners, we have to cease importing in-person options into digital environments,” mentioned Omid Fotuhi, director of studying innovation at WGU Labs and a analysis affiliate on the College of Pittsburgh who research on-line learners, belonging, motivation and efficiency. “Belonging on-line isn’t a watered-down model of the campus quad—it’s a special ecology altogether. And that ecology requires deliberate psychological attunement to the lived realities of at the moment’s more and more numerous, time-strapped, digitally distributed college students.”
Stephanie L. Moore, affiliate professor of group, data and studying sciences on the College of New Mexico and editor in chief of the Journal of Computing in Greater Training, who additionally reviewed the info for Inside Greater Ed, had an analogous take: that it’s a “good impetus for larger training leaders and planners to consider what belonging means past extracurricular actions.”
However first—and to Fotuhi’s level about variety—who’re on-line learners? Throughout the U.S., they are typically older and extra more likely to be working already than their in-person friends. And the 854 online-only Scholar Voice respondents are considerably extra probably than the 4,000-plus different respondents to be working full-time: Some 45 p.c are working 30 or extra hours per week, versus 22 p.c of the group as an entire.
Most are first-generation school college students, as effectively, at 59 p.c, in comparison with 33 p.c of in-person college students and 48 p.c of these taking a mixture of in-person and on-line programs.
Maybe associated to their working standing, online-only college students are much less probably than the group over all to be taking a full-time course load, at 48 p.c versus 68 p.c. However they’re roughly as probably because the group over all to report a studying incapacity or distinction (14 p.c), a bodily incapacity or situation (14 p.c), or a psychological well being situation or sickness (35 p.c).
No matter their traits, Moore mentioned on-line college students wish to really feel that “they’re really a part of the college,” considered by an establishment as “our college students” versus “these college students.” That’s a useful lens via which to interpret the next findings.
What We Discovered
- On-line-only college students charge their sense of educational match and academic high quality extremely. Their sense of belonging? Not a lot.
On-line-only college students’ perceptions of high quality are considerably decrease than these of respondents learning solely in particular person, however a majority of every group nonetheless charge their instructional high quality good or wonderful: 67 p.c of on-line college students versus 76 p.c of in-person learners. College students taking a mixture of on-line and in-person programs cut up the distinction, at 71 p.c. And whereas online-only college students’ sense of educational match at their school approaches that of the group over all, the hole widens on sense of social belonging. Simply 31 p.c of online-only college students charge their sense of belonging nearly as good or wonderful, in comparison with 48 p.c of in-person college students. These taking a mixture of on-line and in-person programs once more cut up the distinction.
The responses recommend that schools and universities over all have work to do on belonging, no matter modality. However the particularly low rankings amongst online-only college students advantage explicit consideration, on condition that on-line learners have elsewhere been proven to finish at decrease charges. It’s not instantly clear from this survey to what online-only college students attribute this decrease sense of belonging, as they’re much less probably than the group over all to say that professors attending to know them higher, research teams and peer studying, and extra alternatives for social connection—all elements related to belonging—would assist increase their success. They’re additionally much less probably than in-person-only friends to attribute what’s been referred to as the psychological well being disaster to elevated loneliness, when offered with a listing of doable drivers (21 p.c versus 33 p.c, respectively).
Nevertheless, online-only college students are considerably much less more likely to have participated in extracurriculars than different friends: 64 p.c say they haven’t participated in any such actions, in comparison with 35 p.c of the group over all. Equally, 57 p.c of online-only learners have attended no occasions at their school, in comparison with 26 p.c of the group over all. (Extra on that later.)
- On-line-only college students, like their different friends, need extra reasonably priced tuition and fewer high-stakes exams.
Throughout the board, college students say fewer exams and decrease tuition will enhance their possibilities of success. The No. 1 non-classroom-based factor all college students—together with online-only college students—say would increase their educational success, when offered from a listing of prospects, is making tuition extra reasonably priced to allow them to higher steadiness lecturers with funds and different work. And the No. 1 classroom-based motion on-line college students and their different friends say would assistance is encouraging college members to restrict high-stakes exams, akin to these counting for greater than 40 p.c of a course grade.
- On-line-only college students are inclined to want on-line, asynchronous programs.
Would on-line college students want to be learning in particular person? Many Scholar Voice respondents learning on-line say no, supporting different information suggesting that on-line learners worth the modality for its flexibility and comfort. Requested about their most well-liked modality, the biggest share of online-only college students, 54 p.c, select on-line, asynchronous programs. Nonetheless, the second-most-popular possibility for this group—if by a large margin—is in particular person, choosing as much as two choices.
In-person college students, in the meantime, overwhelmingly want in-person studying, at 74 p.c. Many college students taking a mixture of in-person and on-line programs additionally are inclined to want the in-person setting, with 52 p.c selecting this.
As for his or her most well-liked class codecs and instructing practices, past modality, online-only college students and college students over all are probably to want interactive lectures, during which the professor delivers a brief lecture however punctuates the category with energetic studying methods. A few quarter of on-line college students additionally want case research, which join course ideas to real-world issues. That’s when choosing as much as two choices from an extended checklist.
One bonus discovering: On-line-only college students are barely much less probably than the group over all to say they contemplate themselves prospects of their establishment in some capability (58 p.c versus 65 p.c, respectively).
- Many online-only college students, like their different friends, report that stress is impeding their educational success.
On-line-only college students report experiencing power educational stress (distinct from acute educational stress) at half the speed of in-person college students: 13 p.c versus 26 p.c. This may very well be associated to the truth that comparatively fewer on-line college students are taking a full-time course load. However online-only college students usually tend to cite balancing lecturers with private, household or monetary duties as a prime stressor (52 p.c versus 44 p.c of in-person college students). And they’re about as probably because the group over all to say that stress impacts their skill to focus, study and do effectively academically “an ideal deal,” at 42 p.c. This general discovering on stress was one of many most important of this Scholar Voice survey cycle, and online-only college students’ responses imply that establishments making an attempt to sort out scholar stress ought to maintain these learners in thoughts.
To that time: The highest factor all college students say their establishment may do to spice up their general well-being is rethinking examination schedules and/or encouraging college members to restrict high-stakes exams: 42 p.c of online-only college students say this could be an enormous assist, as do 46 p.c of respondents over all (when offered with a listing of choices, choosing as much as three).
- Most online-only college students don’t take part in extracurriculars, and a few say they may profit from extra digital participation choices.
Two in three online-only college students say they haven’t participated in any extracurricular actions, rather more than the group over all. On-line-only college students are additionally much less probably than the group over all to consider that participation in extracurriculars and occasions is vital to their general well-being and success: Simply 21 p.c of online-only college students say this is essential to their success as a university scholar, whereas 23 p.c say that is true for fulfillment after commencement.
As for what would improve on-line college students’ involvement, the highest two elements from an extended checklist of choices are in the event that they lived on or close to campus and if there have been extra digital attendance choices (34 p.c every). These numbers don’t essentially quantity to a ringing endorsement of digital participation choices, however they do sign that schools may very well be doing extra on this space. And past digital participation, whereas many on-line learners don’t stay near their establishments, many do stay inside an hour’s drive, in accordance with present information. Which means that establishments may also profit from together with native or semi-local on-line college students of their campus involvement initiatives.
- Solely-online college students are assured of their futures however spotlight profession help wants.
On-line-only college students point out they’ve interacted with their school profession middle at comparable charges to their friends. Their perceptions of career-readiness efforts throughout totally different dimensions are additionally akin to their friends’. For instance, 21 p.c of online-only college students describe their profession middle as having enough on-line sources, in comparison with 20 p.c of the group over all—an indication that these sources could also be missing throughout the board. Many on-line college students, like college students usually, additionally say they need extra assist from their establishments connecting with internships and job alternatives, when offered with a listing of career-readiness priorities.
On the identical time, 74 p.c of on-line college students are very or considerably assured that their training and school experiences are making ready them for fulfillment postgraduation, nonetheless they outline it, as are 80 p.c of in-person college students.
What College and Establishments Can Do
Fotuhi, of WGU Labs, mentioned the findings resonate with nationwide developments he and colleagues monitor of their Faculty Innovation Community analysis—notably, “the strain between the enchantment of flexibility and the dangers of isolation” for on-line learners.
Fotuhi described what’s been referred to as “the efficiency-belonging dilemma” as when on-line studying “meets college students’ logistical wants, however typically falls quick on the emotional and relational dimensions of engagement.” But if on-line college students (like these in our survey) aren’t demanding engagement within the type of research teams or professor familiarity, what do they need as an alternative—or at the least extra acutely?
Fotuhi’s reply: “From our work, we see sturdy alerts that on-line learners profit from institutionally scaffolded constructions of connection.” These embody:
- Proactive nudges from advisers and coaches, particularly these personalised to milestones or struggles
- Peer mentorship or cohort-based fashions that function just about
- Position readability about the place (and to whom) to go for tutorial, emotional {and professional} help
Interventions to help college students’ digital confidence might also be a “highly effective, oblique lever for fostering belonging,” Fotuhi mentioned. Identical for digital participation choices for involvement in addition to providers “that mirror the comfort of their educational expertise.” Suppose asynchronous orientation supplies, on-line scholar organizations and digital mentoring.
Tony Bates, a now-retired on-line studying knowledgeable based mostly in Canada, additionally highlighted the position of the classroom in selling belonging in on-line studying, the place there stays a lot variation in instructing strategies: Course actions “usually tend to be the one manner on-line college students can bond with different college students,” and the “on-line course setting must be designed to encourage such interactivity.”
Moore, of the College of New Mexico, added that in on-line studying, college students “search for and expertise belonging via elevated interactions with their fellow learners and their instructors, via seeing themselves represented in examples, instances and readings, and thru entry to help providers and sources.”
Much like Fotuhi’s framework for an “ecology” of helps, Moore inspired establishments to take an “ecosystems” method to supporting on-line learners, past providing them mere entry to programs. This will embody well being and wellness choices, librarians who “make help really feel extra private,” and profession providers which are “proactive.”
Relating to college students’ attitudes towards high-stakes exams, Moore mentioned the Scholar Voice information level to “continued overreliance on testing, particularly high-stakes testing, as a major evaluation technique.”
Grownup learners, specifically—a lot of whom are on-line learners—“are on the lookout for studying that’s related to their careers and futures,” she mentioned. And within the realm of evaluation, this “is facilitated by totally different educational and evaluation methods than exams.”
Bates argued that on-line studying “lends itself to steady evaluation,” or frequent, formative evaluation, because it’s “a lot simpler to trace particular person college students’ progress via a web-based course,” the place all their studying actions might be monitored and recorded.
Moore mentioned that shifting evaluation away from high-stakes testing has some “added bonuses of accelerating learner motivation, lowering their stress—particularly the sort that may encourage some to cheat—and growing their studying outcomes.”
