Studying Online First Choice for Australian Students
The lockdown legacy goes beyond today’s economic uncertainty. The transformation of the work and study environment, and the rapid infrastructure improvements to enable working and studying from home has created a fundamental shift in our approach to living. But as workplaces prepare to bring staff back to the office, the tertiary education industry is moving in a different direction.Studying from home has been game changing for students
In recent publications by several universities, including Australia’s most reputable Registered Training Organisations, prestigious universities, including Monash University, University of Sydney and a meta study of over 175,000 tertiary students has found that online study improves student experience, while allowing for expanded educational offerings.
Top reasons Australian students prefer to study online
Cost of living was amongst the most cited reason for studying online in Australia. Access to affordable housing near college or university campuses, costs associated with travel and transport and general expenditure involved in attending lectures in person were amongst the most popular reasons for studying online. Beyond costs, was time expenditure. Students cited commute times, as well as “lecture drag”. Students were able to skim lectures where they were already familiar with the content, and skip long winded questions and explanations in tutorial videos. Similar to reports of high school children “doing a whole day in two hours” during lockdown, the online format allows for students to learn at their own pace, even if that pace is much faster than their peers.
The key to successful online study is student experience
Universities, schools, colleges and Registered Training Organisations who report successful online learning experiences all report a few fundamental essential practices for success:
- Quality, well-structured video content
- Access to academic staff on demand at pre-arranged times for tutoring and assessment preparation
- A robust and performance driven teaching platform, free of delays and technical glitches.
- Options for student collaborations and socialization – to assist students who may lose motivation due to isolation.
“We have a large student body studying online certificate courses in Australia and abroad. Our students report their reasons for preferring study online to include distance practicalities, but also and possibly most importantly, access for people who would otherwise be unable to gain a tertiary qualification. These include families with young children in the home, students with disabilities and neurodiversity, students who need extra time to learn as English is their second language – anyone who needs to gain an education on their terms. I think this is a vital and noble reason for fully encouraging online tertiary education,” said Ben Klatt, Education Delivery Expert.