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SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The College and Innovation Network (CIN), a grant-funded initiative within WGU Labs, released its second annual CIN EdTech Student Survey with the goal of better understanding the current and future student experience with Educational Technology (EdTech).
The CIN EdTech Survey Series tracks the threats, advances and predictions of the new technology-enabled state of higher education. The results of this year’s survey found that students are well-adapted to the technology-enabled new normal of higher education, but perceived gaps in the effectiveness and quality of online learning remain.
“We have found that gaining insight into our students’ opinions and feelings about the college’s technology and digital environment has proven valuable as it is information that we can use to improve the user experience improve and guide future projects,” said Dr. Chad Knights, Vice President of Northern Virginia Community College for Information and Engineering Technologies and College Computing. “It also serves as a perfect complement to usage statistics, which alone can only tell half the story.”
CIN surveyed 1,402 students from six different colleges: Central Ohio Technical College, Cuyahoga Community College, Loyola University New Orleans, Northern Virginia Community College, PennWest University, California, and Piedmont Community College.
The survey results include the following key statistics:
- 88% of students surveyed say they are confident they can adapt to the new EdTechs used in their courses, up five percentage points from 2021
- Student learning experiences with EdTech have improved overall, with 23% more students reporting that EdTech has improved their learning this year, and 23% more students reporting that they feel better prepared for the next steps in their academic journey.
- Students perceive online learning options as less effective and of lower quality than on-site learning, with a corresponding perception that the certificates obtained through online modalities are of lower quality.
- Two-thirds of the students surveyed are positive about institutions offering more full online courses and full online programs, but nearly one in five students oppose the move to full online courses and programs.
“Higher education is in the midst of a major technological shift. Without a boost to student experiences, institutions run the risk of missing the mark on how to retain students,” said Dr. Omid Fotuhi, Director of Learning Innovation at WGU Labs. “Our EdTech survey series provides a complete view of student, faculty and administrator experiences that can critically influence institutional decision-making.”
Based on the results of this survey, the CIN recommends that institutions invest in student technical support, proactively identify students who are struggling with the use of technology, and reassess the implementation of online learning to continue meeting the needs and meeting student expectations.
Download the full 2022 CIN EdTech Student Survey at https://wgulabs.org/cin-edtech-student-survey-october-2022/
About the College Innovation NetworkWGU Labs’ College Innovation Network (CIN) is a grant-funded, research-driven initiative that connects institutions with the best solutions to ensure student belonging, engagement and equal opportunities. CIN supports educational institutions by identifying areas of need, supporting the implementation of effective educational technology for students, and assessing impact through research. Our goal is to make a meaningful impact on higher education at large by evaluating effective solutions that promote inclusion, engagement and equity.
About WGU LabsWGU Labs is Western Governors University’s nonprofit EdTech consulting, incubation, research, and design arm whose mission is to identify and support scalable solutions that address the biggest challenges in education today. For more information, see wgulabs.org.
Natalie Berkey
WGU Labs
385-428-9425
[email protected]
Source: Western Governors University
