Survey: 7 in 10 People Don't Believe Online Classes Can Provide a 'True College Experience'

closeup of a person working on a laptop

In spite of the fact that nine in 10 people believe online and distance learning programs will grow in popularity over time, seven in 10 don't think that students can a get a "true college experience" from an online-only program. That drops to five in 10 for those students who have attended a blended learning course.

Those results surfaced in "Online Education Trendspots," a survey intended to understand experiences and perceptions of online or distance education programs. The survey was produced by Verndale, a "customer experience" design agency. The company surveyed 320 people, ages 18 to 55, who have attended at least some level of college. Three-fifths of respondents said they had taken an online course.

The Verndale researchers suggested that online courses "are still being judged using legacy cultural benchmarks." They also anticipate that changing. "We will likely soon find that our expectations of a true 'college experience' are inherently blended, digital and global."

Among the other findings shared in the report:

  • Nearly three-quarters of people (73 percent) believe that employers value now — or will value in the future — online education degrees the same as those earned via a traditional on-campus program. And four in five people (80 percent) would consider attending an online education program if they were heading back to school.
  • While 37 percent of overall respondents have taken online classes, the proportion jumps to 60 percent for people 18 to 29 years of age, an indication that the newest generations of college attendees are gravitating to this form of education.
  • The top draws for online education are convenience and flexibility, mentioned by 91 percent of respondents; the ability to work and attend school at the same time (75 percent); avoiding a commute to campus and working at one's own pace (both chosen by 68 percent); and the perceived lower cost (65 percent).
  • While 66 percent of survey participants said they believe that virtual reality will be an important part of online learning in the future (and 15 percent said it already is), 29 percent reported that online education programs are ahead of campus programs in terms of their innovative use of technology.

"Realistically," the report stated, "we are mid-stream in a tectonic shift — and our assumptions about what defines a college experience are being outpaced by the technology and innovation that [are] reshaping education in front of our eyes."

Verndale clients have included the University of California, Los Angeles, the Ohio State University Medical Center and Southern New Hampshire University.

The report is available with registration on the Verndale website.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • row of students using computers in a library

    A Return to Openness: Apereo Examines Sustainability in Open Source

    Surprisingly, on many of our campuses, even the IT leadership responsible for the lion's share of technology deployments doesn't realize the extent to which the institution is dependent on open source. And that lack of awareness can be a threat to campuses.

  • server racks, a human head with a microchip, data pipes, cloud storage, and analytical symbols

    OpenAI, Oracle Expand AI Infrastructure Partnership

    OpenAI and Oracle have announced they will develop an additional 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity, expanding their artificial intelligence infrastructure partnership as part of the Stargate Project, a joint venture among OpenAI, Oracle, and Japan's SoftBank Group that aims to deploy 10 gigawatts of computing capacity over four years.

  • colorful panels depicting university housing, meal plans, data analytics, forms, and a student

    New Thesis Elements Student Life Module Integrates Housing, Meal Plans, and Student Services

    Student information system provide Thesis Elements recently launched a new Student Life module that enables institutions to manage student housing assignments, meal plans, billing, and other student services from within the Elements SIS platform.

  • laptop displaying a glowing digital brain and data charts sits on a metal shelf in a well-lit server room with organized network cables and active servers

    Cisco Introduces AI-First Approach to IT Operations

    At its recent Cisco Live 2025 event, Cisco announced AgenticOps, a transformative approach to IT operations that integrates advanced AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and collaboration across network, security, and application domains.