What Are the Motivations of Online Students? Survey Answers

A survey by Wiley Education Services polled 15,000 fully online learners to find out what were some of their motivations for taking online courses. You can read the actual survey HERE. While the study was conducted in 2020 it is important to remember that it was also the year the Pandemic was in full swing. It didn't seem like it matter much in the survey but there were shifts in the online-ground based educational system during this time. Online will becoming increasingly likely (See Colleges that Won't Make it 2020, Changing College Needs, COVID Changes, Higher Ed. Reform, Online Ed. Earns Place, and State Budgets.) 

Surveys like this help in understand how to improve on the educational system. This survey is focused on things that are important to learners such as reputation, price, speed, etc... What you also find is that the vast majority of people think online education is the same or better. Furthermore, the survey provides other insight such as where they learn about schools (employers, online searches, etc..) as well as what devices they use. 

For those in the higher education field knowing your customers is important and conducting research of executives, students, etc... can create a broad understanding of how to push online education to newer heights. Just as a quick example, if you know what executives seek, understand industry trends, the changing skills needed, technological development paths, cost-value position, etc....you might know a lot that can help you make a strategic decision.

A couple of key highlight points:

-70% of colleges and universities expect to start one to four new online undergraduate programs in the next few years.

-More than half of students cite affordability/cost as their most important factor in selecting a college

-Reputation of the university is very important.

-Transfer credits are important to students.

Reach the Report (CLICK HERE)