As the number of COVID-19 vaccine recipients increases and cases decline, many colleges and universities are making plans to fully reopen in the fall. While the promise of a return to a more traditional, more personal campus experience is certainly a relief to many, it does beg the following questions: Where does online learning go from here? What impact will its mass adoption during the pandemic have on higher ed moving forward?
6 articles offering insight into the future of online learning
Students appear to be enjoying online learning. According to a recent survey, the majority of students said they want the option to keep studying online. Interestingly, the same survey also showed that both students and faculty members reported that their attitudes toward online learning had significantly improved in the last year.
Given the demand for – and growing acceptance of – online education from all parties, we picked out some of our favorite articles about online learning to provide insight into its impact and role in higher ed over the next few years.
1. “3 ways online learning has forever altered my instruction”
In this article, one college professor reflects on which strategies and tools worked – and which didn’t – while navigating online learning during the pandemic. His biggest takeaway? Hybrid learning is here to stay.
2. “Moving Online Learning from Challenge to Opportunity”
One thing is certain as we consider the post-pandemic landscape: Online learning isn’t going anywhere. This article outlines how higher ed can embrace that fact to fundamentally rethink its future and build pathways to connect students, faculty, staff and employers in profound new ways.
3. “The Future of Residential Classes Is Hybrid Learning”
The traditional “residential” instruction of tomorrow will be a mix of residential and online. This article explains how and why the pandemic, coupled with advances in learning technology and the changing expectations of today’s students, accelerated this future reality.
4. “In defense of online learning”
While the forced shift to remote learning caused big challenges for many, it also offered higher ed institutions the opportunity to expand access, confront opportunity gaps and prepare for future growth. This article explains why the future of higher education is dependent on further developing online instruction at institutions.
5. “3 major post-COVID changes in higher education”
In this article, a university provost explains how the online learning experiences of the pandemic increased the importance of improving student learning experiences and maximizing their choice.
6. “Key Considerations for Designing Courses for HyFlex Learning”
To be successful in a post-pandemic world, institutions must take a student-centric approach. This means recognizing the changing preferences of students and delivering education both synchronously and asynchronously. Discover how in this article.
Developing your online learning strategy for the future
No matter how your institution transitions its online learning experiences and strategies out of the pandemic, it won’t be easy. There are many questions around which students and faculty will be in a position to return to face-to-face instruction, as not everyone can or will be vaccinated and some students will be reluctant to travel. Additionally, international students are likely to face additional challenges returning to campus.
This future uncertainty, coupled with students’ expressed desire to continue learning online, presents colleges and universities with an opportunity to re-evaluate their role in society, how they deliver educational experiences and who they can serve. If your school needs help launching and growing high-quality online learning experiences, Collegis Education can provide the expertise, capabilities, technology and resources on a fee-for-service basis so you can own the future of your online courses and programs.
Learn more about the support we offer by visiting our OPM Alternatives page.
Author: Elise Povejsil
Elise Povejsil is a former marketing manager (content and communications) for Collegis Education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Conflict Studies from DePauw University.
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