How colleges are bringing online students into the classroom

When online education entered the scene more than two decades ago, its critics predicted it would dampen the quality of college instruction. Today, the sector has shed some of those concerns, with about one-third of students taking at least one course online.Yet there's still room for improvement. Researchers have found that fully online programs and classes may contribute to equity gaps and lead to poorer outcomes for the least prepared students. But there are some bright spots, according to speakers at Educause's annual conference in Chicago. Innovative models for online classroom instruction could be poised to help the sector live up to its goals of expanding college access and making learning possible anywhere. Below, we share how several administrators are moving online education forward at their institutions. At California State University Channel Islands, a midsize institution located about an hour's drive from Los Angeles, officials wanted to proactively teach students the skills needed to thrive in online classes. So in 2018, they rolled out a self-paced course called Learning Online 101. The one-to-three-hour class allows students to practice using the technology required in online courses in a low-stakes environment while also teaching the importance of time management and a strong support network.