Online learning is all but a required offering for today’s students, but institutions still struggle with its sound implementation, according to a report.
At least 60% more institutions surveyed in 2024 reported increased interest in online learning among graduate students, adults and traditionally aged undergraduates over the following year.
As a result, nearly 80% of chief online learning officers say the market for asynchronous and hybrid learning is more competitive than it was five years ago.
While leaders at public four-year universities expect to launch five or more new degree programs in the next five years, community colleges have invested the most in non-degree credentials such as certificates and microcredentials.
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The rapid pace of AI development is transforming the online experience. More students will access AI tutoring and adaptive learning that create personalized programs.
At the same time, respondents predicted declining prominence in full-time faculty and lecture-based instruction as central components to online learners’ experiences, as students rely instead on a mix of adjunct faculty and technology-mediated experiences.
“Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed a profound shift: what began as an exception has become a baseline expectation,” Bethany Simunich, vice president for innovation and research at Quality Matters, an education quality assurance agency. “Today’s students—across every age and background—expect learning to be flexible and accessible.”
Access and online strategy remain challenges
Despite a decade of growth in online learning, nearly all institutions (95%) report that students face “tech readiness” barriers, including a lack of access to broadband and devices.
Chief online learning officers expressed concern about their own ability to meet student needs:
- More than a quarter (28%) say their faculty are fully prepared to design online courses. This figure has remained steady since 2020.
- Less than 10% said their institution has a sound strategy for implementing AI in their programs.
- Less than half say they the data essential to creating thoughtful decisions around the future of online learning is not clearly defined or understood.
The survey, conducted by Quality Matters, EDUCAUSE and Eduventures, was conducted between January and February and yielded more than 500 responses.
