Online Learning: Past the Tipping Point
Colleen Flaherty
August 13, 2025
Twin surveys of chief online learning officers highlight the gap between student expectations and institutional maturity when it comes to online education.
This year is primed to be a pivotal one for online learning, with the number of undergraduates studying fully online surpassing that of peers studying fully in person for the first time.
Now two new surveys of chief online learning officers are helping point the way forward, past this critical moment.
One key takeaway from both: Colleges and universities must level up to close the gap between student expectations and institutional preparedness.
One of the two surveys—the 10th annual Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE) report, “Meeting the Moment: Navigating Growth, Competition, and AI in Online Higher Education,” from Quality Matters, Eduventures and Educause—describes “a maturing online learning landscape that is expanding in ambition but still facing persistent challenges.”
