How is online learning changing higher education?
The whole world of higher education is going digital.
It's a fundamental shift in classrooms and lecture halls,
but also in research, marketing, and recruitment.
Today's students expect to learn and be taught using
the devices that dominate the rest their lives –
laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Universities are thinking beyond just filming lectures
from the back of the room and archiving them online.
Teachers are considering how to create high-quality
online courses and keep students engaged
through online text, video, and interaction.
The digital shift also affects how students prepare for class.
Now, they can access resources online
instead of getting a reading list for the library.
Professors can ask students to do online courses
alongside face-to-face classes.
Students will absorb information online first
then attend classes to discuss what they've learned.
Everything has to work on a smartphone
so course design must be mobile-responsive.
In the past, online learning was a lonely experience.
But now, interaction is the dominant way people behave on the web.
So courses are designed to be a sociable experience.
then be invited to join a discussion
The educator takes part in the discussion
just like in a traditional classroom.
Increasingly, you will see top universities
offering whole degrees online.
Some are already doing this for graduate degrees.
being broken into sections, so that
students can pick the parts they need.
Does this mean that online classes
will overtake the traditional degree?
Not yet. For many 18-year-olds,
the experience of heading off to university
is about more than just an academic degree.
And some subjects, like healthcare and engineering
But when today's students arrive at university
they expect digital technology to be part of the experience.
For more information on digital higher education,