Time for Class 2023: Bridging Student and Faculty Perspectives on Digital Learning
Survey
Jun. 2023
Sample Size:
4,102
Demographics:
faculty
undergraduate students
administrators
Topics:
Learning
Top Findings:
- 79% of administrators believe digital learning can drive academic success for all students including students from underserved racial groups and students with financial needs. However, this optimism does not reflect the reality for many students. Up to 40% of students have experienced stress due to limited access to computers/laptops and unstable internet connections. Students of color are 6 percentage points more likely to have experienced stress due to lack of access to devices, school systems, or the internet.
- Despite these access challenges, students still exhibit a preference for digital materials and hybrid course modalities that do not align with faculty preferences. While most faculty prefer print course materials (34%), most students do not (23%) and instead prefer digital course materials formats (37% courseware and 38% e-text).
- Affordability and ease of use are among their top considerations when choosing course materials, and 41% of faculty value mechanisms to ensure equitable student access to technology and tools as an element of successful digital learning implementation (compared to only 22% of administrators). 34% of faculty at two-year institutions report challenges with managing student access or cost to instructional materials compared to 27% at four-year institutions, highlighting the disparity in access to basic materials at two-year institutions.