Online education provides the flexibility some students need to combine school with work and family responsibilities. For others, it is the only way to stay on track and complete requirements for often oversubscribed or problematically scheduled courses. At the same time, many community college students are underprepared for college and may be better served by in-person instruction or hybrid approaches than by online-only instruction.
This research, supported by The Kresge Foundation, takes stock of the experiences and views of people directly affected by online learning in higher education: employers and community college students.
Main findings include:
- Although employers see a positive side to online learning, most prefer applicants who earn their degrees in the classroom.
- Community college students are split on whether the quality of online education is comparable to classroom instruction.
- Many community college students wish they took fewer classes online.