The ‘Voice of the Online Learner’ Report Finds
Pool of Online Learners Expanded During the Pandemic, and New
Cohort Emerged that Skews Younger, More Likely to Pursue Online
Undergraduate Degrees
A newly released report from Wiley Education Services, a
division of Wiley (NYSE:JWA)(NYSE:JWB), suggests that not only did
online learning gain traction during the pandemic, but a new
segment of online learners emerged who tend to be younger and
largely liked what they experienced. The report, entitled Voice of
the Online Learner, lends insight on the impact of COVID-19 on the
online learner, the growing demand from students that online
learning connects to career outcomes, and top considerations for
learners when choosing an online degree program.
“This year’s report takes a close look at the transformative
impact the pandemic has had on how learners access their education.
We’re seeing that online learning is playing an increasingly
important role in providing education that is flexible, affordable
and setting learners up for success in their careers,” said Todd
Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services. “With this, our 10th
annual report, we are proud to again share our insights on the
attitudes and behaviors of online learners to help universities
build impactful programs that enable students to achieve their
goals.”
The report, released in previous years as Online College
Students, provides guidance to colleges and universities serving
the unique and evolving population of online learners. Highlights
include:
New Segment of Online Learners Emerges
Due to COVID-19 Impact
Not surprising, the pool of online learners has grown
considerably during the pandemic. The report indicates one-third of
current prospective online students and those enrolled in an online
program for the 2020-2021 school year had not considered learning
entirely online prior to the pandemic.
Wiley has labeled this emerging segment of students the
“post-pandemic online learner” and suggests they skew younger than
traditional online learners, are interested in pursuing
undergraduate degrees, and are more likely to be unemployed or
working part-time. Specifically, 45% of this "post-pandemic online
learner" population is under the age of 25, as compared to only 24%
of students under the age of 25 who were already studying online
prior to the pandemic.
Views Toward Online Learning
Improve
When asked if the pandemic changed their views of online
learning, 51% of learners said they now have more positive views of
online learning, while 42% said it did not change their opinions of
the medium. Further, more than half (59%) of prospective online
learners and those enrolled in an online program in the 2020-21
school year said that the pandemic motivated them to enroll in an
online program.
Online Students Are Motivated by Career
Goals
Career aspirations—including getting a job and changing careers
—are the top two factors that influence students to pursue an
online degree. Online learners, including alumni, ranked the
following as most important:
- To get first professional/salaried job (50%)
- Switch to a new career that is more aligned with my interests
(42%)
- Obtain a promotion within my current profession (37%)
- Switch to a new career to earn more money (37%)
- Obtain a salary increase within my current profession
(36%)
Top Considerations When Choosing Online
Programs
Learners are increasingly choosing programs that help them earn
their degrees faster, with more flexibility and more
affordably.
Speed: Students increasingly want quicker pathways to
degree completion. In fact, 70% would choose to take more than one
class at a time or back-to-back courses to complete their program
faster versus having their courses spread out or taking breaks
between classes.
Flexibility: Online learners want flexibility in terms of
class format, course line-up and timing. Sixty-five percent of
online learners would favor the flexibility to choose or change the
course lineup instead of being in a lock-step cohort or degree
plan. Eighty-seven percent of students value multiple start dates
per year. Sixty-eight percent would choose a program with an
asynchronous format over synchronous programs.
Affordability: More than half of students (55%) selected
affordability as the most important factor in their decision to
apply/enroll in an online program. However, “affordability” may not
mean the least expensive option. Sixty-seven percent of students
selected programs that were not at the lowest price point, citing
considerations such as reputation of the program or relevant course
content when weighing their options.
To date, Wiley Education Services has supported over 140,000
learners and developed over 800 programs in partnership with more
than 70 non-profit colleges and universities.
To view the full report findings, please visit:
https://edservices.wiley.com/voice-of-the-online-learner-2021/
METHODOLOGY
The data in this report are based on the results of surveys
conducted by Wiley among more than 3,000 online learners in the
spring of 2021. Specifically, the sample consisted of 3,082
respondents comprised of a national external panel of 1,552
responses and an internal survey of 1,530 prospective, current, and
recently graduated students serviced by Wiley partner institutions.
Respondents were at least 18 years of age, had a minimum of a high
school degree or equivalent, and were recently enrolled, currently
enrolled or planned to enroll in the next twelve months in a fully
online undergraduate or graduate degree or certificate program. The
sample was weighted to consist of approximately 66% graduate
students. Additional details regarding the methodology may be found
in the report.
ABOUT WILEY
Wiley (NYSE:JWA)(NYSE:JWB) is a global leader in research and
education, unlocking human potential by enabling discovery,
powering education, and shaping workforces. For over 200 years,
Wiley has fueled the world’s knowledge ecosystem. Today, our
high-impact content, platforms, and services help researchers,
learners, institutions, and corporations achieve their goals in an
ever-changing world. Visit us at Wiley.com, like us on Facebook,
and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Andrea Sherman asherman@wiley.com
John Wiley & Sons (NYSE:JWB)
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