Dive Brief:
- The generation raised with smartphones and dozens of online learning opportunities that enhanced their K-12 education still sees traditional degree programs as having the most prestige and the best learning outcomes.
- Inside Higher Ed reports that the results of the latest studentPOLL, published by ACT and consulting firm Art & Science Group, show 85% of respondents saying they want to take a majority of their courses in person — and only 6% indicating they would take more than half online.
- Additionally, 80% of students agreed with the statement “traditional classroom programs offer a higher quality academic experience,” and 67% agreed that the quality of online classes varies widely across institutions.
Dive Insight:
The results of the recent survey were collected from students who took the ACT in the fall of 2014 and noted that they planned to attend a four-year program in the fall of 2015. Students interested in the traditional, four-year postsecondary plan are already a subset of total high school graduates. Yet there are important differences between the multiple generations on college campuses today.
Students in Generation X are much more likely to want online course options than Millennials, and they’re more likely to return to school with skill-building in mind than the career-focused Millennials. When it comes to Generation Z, yes they want face-to-face courses, but they want self-directed learning opportunities embedded within them — like flipped classrooms that trust them to do the background reading and come to class ready to discuss or otherwise engage. Campus leaders must keep these differences in mind as they tailor future programs and outreach.