Capranos, D., Dyers, L., Magda, A. J. (2021). Voice of the online learner 2021: Amplifying student voices in extraordinary times. Louisville, KY: Wiley Education Services.

Wiley Education Services has recently published the report “Voice of the Online Learner 2021: Amplifying Student Voices in Extraordinary Times”, based on a survey of over 3,000 online students. The report aims at answering common questions brought up by university stakeholders and students alike, it can, therefore, be a helpful reference when planning online programmes. The sections of the report specifically on drawing a generic online student profile, tackling motivations and expectations of learners, and giving suggestions about tuitions, one of the major concerns of online students.

The findings of the report reveal that around half of the respondents’ opinion about online learning was positively influenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. While in other reports many students seem to prefer the on-campus experience, Wiley states that a large part of online learners would rather move to a different online university than enrol in an on-campus course. From the results of the survey, it can also be noted that online programmes should not try to appeal to a universal audience, since students’ needs are extremely diverse, and that it is not likely that an online course will attract high numbers of non-local students. Furthermore, online students were also found to be sensitive about the price of the course, therefore highlighting the importance of allocating scholarships effectively.

You can read the full report here.