Students Want Increased Online Options Without Sacrificing Relationships with Peers and Professors | Research Brief
Stephanie Reeves
December 12, 2024
We’re in a time of rapid change, where technology — especially AI — is reshaping what instruction and the systems that shape it look like and where humans fit in. As the modern world continues to grapple with technology integrated with real-life experiences, so too is the world of postsecondary education. Students, in particular, are evaluating how to access education that best fits their needs and preferences. For example, many students do not live close to a college campus, are juggling full-time work and family obligations on top of their schooling, or simply prefer the flexibility of online learning.
While learners appreciate the flexibility and individual focus that online programs offer, they still highly value human engagement and interaction. In a previous report, we found that many students are excited about the potential of AI, but they don’t want these tools to replace faculty. How can higher education be designed to meet both of these needs and offer high-quality, human-centered learning experiences across learning modalities?
To better understand these trends, we asked 2,365 students across six institutions of higher education about their perceptions of and experiences with online and tech-enabled learning as part of our EdTech Survey Series. We explored students’ perceptions of and experiences with various learning modalities, identifying friction points and opportunities for improvement.
