There Is No Going Back: College Students Want a Live, Remote Option for In-Person Classes

  • By Eric Paljug
  • 05/17/23

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a massive, unplanned change to how college lectures were delivered, and many schools rapidly shifted to 100% online for some period, through applications such as Zoom. Post-pandemic, schools can carefully select the best approach for lecture delivery, which is not necessarily the prior, pre-pandemic approach. Schools should factor in the perspectives of their students in this decision.

Based on a survey of college students over the last three semesters, students understand that remotely attending a lecture via remote synchronous technology is less effective for them than attending in person, but they highly value the flexibility of this option of attending when they need it. (View more details on the survey questions and results here.)

76% of students agree attending class via Zoom is helpful

Across three semesters, 76% of students agree that attending classes via Zoom is helpful.

Here are the key survey findings:

  • Not everyone uses remote synchronous technology. While a large segment of students (40% in the most recent semester) attended class remotely at least once in the semester, the majority did not use the technology in the most recent semester.
  • But most want the option. Three-quarters of students surveyed find remotely attending helpful, and many comment that they highly appreciate the option, even if they do not use it.
  • Reasons that students attend class via a live, remote option span a wide range: from being ill to scheduling conflicts to travel to convenience to just needing a break.
  • Most students want to decide for themselves when to go remote. While students understand the remote experience pales in comparison to being in class, yet almost two-thirds want to make that decision for themselves given their situation.
  • A smaller segment of students does not want any live, remote option available. The exception in the survey was when a student is too ill to attend. This segment, about one-third of students, cites that the benefits of an in-class lecture require students to show up in class in person.
  • Recommended way forward: Many suggested having the live-remote option, but limiting the total number of times a student can exercise the option to prevent potential abuse.
  • Student preferences for live, remote technology go beyond the classroom. Students comment that their experience with this technology informs their preferences for future employer policies that favor hybrid or remote work environments.  

College leaders should factor in the "voice of the student" in making policies related to live, remote access of class lectures. Based on this multi-semester survey, students want the option to attend remotely; but knowing that the in-person experience is better, most will not exercise the option unless they truly need it.

About the Author

Eric Paljug is a clinical associate professor of business administration and associate director of the Center for Supply Chain Management at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.

Featured

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Risks of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • a professional worker in business casual attire interacting with a large screen displaying a generative AI interface in a modern office

    Study: Generative AI Could Inhibit Critical Thinking

    A new study on how knowledge workers engage in critical thinking found that workers with higher confidence in generative AI technology tend to employ less critical thinking to AI-generated outputs than workers with higher confidence in personal skills.

  • university building with classical columns and a triangular roof displayed on a computer screen, surrounded by minimalist tech elements like circuit lines and abstract digital shapes

    Pima Community College Launches New Portal for a Unified Digital Campus Experience

    Arizona's Pima Community College is elevating the digital campus experience for students, faculty, and staff with a new portal built on the Pathify digital engagement platform.