With an increasing number of learners choosing to enroll online, institutions of higher education must intentionally design robust and relevant learning experiences across modalities alongside robust supports and services.
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the landscape of higher education, driving an unprecedented surge in online learning. In 2022, more than half of all students enrolled in at least one online course, and two-thirds of colleges expanded their online programs to meet growing demand. This shift is not a passing trend. Higher education learners are seeking flexible educational options that help them balance their studies with work, caregiving, and other life commitments.
Today, it’s clear that online learning is here to stay. At the same time, it’s not enough for higher education institutions to move their in-person courses online. To truly support learner success, institutions must design robust and relevant academic experiences that meet the needs of today’s learners and policymakers need to better understand how intentional robust wraparound supports are delivered in online programs.
In our new report, “Online by Design: Delivering Robust and Relevant Academics to Support Learner Success” we identify the key elements of a robust and relevant academic experience, regardless of modality, based on a thorough literature review. Through case studies, we demonstrate how these elements are delivered in scalable online programs. Ensuring learners have access to the suite of supports and academic resources online that they have in-person is critical to ensuring the online academic experience is intentional and can help give learners the best chance to succeed in higher education.
Key Elements of a Robust Online Education
- Quality Assurance: Regular evaluations ensure that courses meet high academic standards and align with workforce needs, helping students gain skills they can apply in their careers.
- Faculty Contribution to Design: Instructors aren’t just teaching the curriculum – they play a key role in shaping it, ensuring it aligns with real-world skills and knowledge.
- Class Structure: Well-designed courses with organized content, manageable class sizes, and clear learning objectives can help students stay on track and feel supported.
- Engagement Tools: Digital platforms, technology, and interactive tools foster collaboration, keeping students engaged and connected with faculty and peers.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL): The UDL framework ensures courses are inclusive, accessible, and challenging for all learners, regardless of their background or learning style. (Learn more about the accessibility of higher education, including UDL in our July 2024 report)
- Faculty Training: Continuous training helps instructors adapt to online teaching and create more effective learning experiences.
- Academic Supports: Support services like academic advising, tutoring, and mentoring help students stay on track and overcome any challenges they face in the online learning environment.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: By tracking student progress, institutions can tailor programs to better meet learners’ needs and improve outcomes.
- Sense of Belonging: Building connections among students, faculty, and the institution is essential to motivating and retaining learners, especially in an online education setting. (Read more about this in our October 2024 report on creating a culture of care and belonging in higher education).
- Experiential Learning: Hands-on learning through internships, virtual labs, and other experiences provides learners with the opportunity to prove what they know and can do to their instructors and future employers.
Case Studies
In our report, we explore these elements in depth and highlight case studies from Ivy Tech Community College, University of Maryland Global Campus, and Southern New Hampshire University – institutions that have intentionally scaled online offerings and designed online programs to deliver the key elements identified above. Read more here.