A poll of higher-education students in the US suggests that ideas around work-life balance are affecting institution selection — such that students increasingly favour schools that support online and virtual study.
The quiz, by Hanover Research for edtech learning platform software vendor Instructure, indicated that while in-person classes are still popular, the availability of hybrid and online remote learning courses is becoming important for students when choosing a college or university.
“Students also want their institutions to focus on their holistic development. This includes personal instruction and the effective delivery of online learning from faculty,” according to Instructure.
“The results of the study highlight the importance of a holistic approach to education that meets the needs of today’s students.”
Student respondents in the small 114-person poll in Louisiana indicated they were also focused on career readiness, skill competency, educational goals and relevant job placement, the vendor said in its official announcement.
“Student success and engagement in Louisiana higher education points to evolving student perceptions of educational needs,” it said.
Ryan Lufkin, vice president of product marketing at Instructure, said that institutions are trying to provide more comprehensive education relevant to students.
“While grades remain an important measure of student success, administrators and faculty in Louisiana are increasingly focused on student well-being and on preparing students to enter the workforce,” Lufkin said.
He added that institutions that adapt to and seek to support “the whole student” will help prepare students to make a positive impact in the job market.
Meanwhile, parents and educators in the state, as well as students themselves, rated career readiness as the top priority for teaching and learning in higher education.
Many student respondents also rated skill competency, educational goals, recent graduate employment rates and relevant job placement as the top determinants of success.
According to Instructure, preferences for remote or hybrid environments need to line up with student needs and institutional provision. This need to match what students want could help drive the evolution of cloud based or other more mobile edtech offerings.
Holistic development such as self-discipline, communication, knowledge and personal reflection is increasingly seen as important to student success and respondents also said this will become more important over the next 12 months, according to Instructure.
( Photo by Christian Lendl on Unsplash )
