4 Years Later: How Has Online Education Changed for Gen Z Post Pandemic?
Posted by Des Sinkevich on July 24, 2024
While online school is not a new concept – the first fully-online degrees were offered as early as 1989 in the United States – it is one that many were often skeptical of. Could a fully online education truly offer the same benefits that can be gained from attending high school or college in a traditional setting? But the pandemic transformed the sometimes-negative perspective of online learning. Four years later, the amount of time it takes to earn a high school diploma or college degree, online learning graduated to new heights. Virtual schools and digital-first learning are more accepted – and more effective – than ever before.
To find out more about the impact of the pandemic on education, we surveyed 532 Gen Z students to better understand how the perception of online education has changed. Here’s what we learned.
Four years after the pandemic, how does Gen Z feel about online education?
- 100% of the Gen Z respondents said they took an online class in the past five years.
- 81.9% were likely to consider online courses in the future after their previous experiences with online education.
- 60.9% valued the flexibility of online education, while 50.4% said that the accessibility of online education was valuable.
- 79.9% felt that online education opened the door to opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to access.
- However, only 28.2% felt that online education was socially acceptable.
More students than ever were enrolled in online courses
With shelter in place and social distancing regulations, public and private schools were forced to adapt for the safety of their students and staff, shifting to fully virtual classes. Because of this, 100% of survey respondents said that they have taken an online class in the past five years. Of those, 54.9% were high school students and 49.8% were enrolled in college.
46.8% of these students were enrolled in online classes in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Comparatively, only 18.8% had experience with online education prior to 2020.
Those who did take an online class are more like now to consider online learning in the future
While not every student personally found online education a conducive way to learn, many became more comfortable with online classes through the pandemic, changing their perceptions on the effectiveness of virtual education. In fact, many thrived in an online-only environment. 41.9% said they were much more likely to consider online courses in the future and 40% said they were more likely.
Many found online education easier to navigate than in-person learning
When considering online education, many educators and learners are often concerned about the ease of using online learning platforms, flexibility, and the quality of the education offered. However, 57.7% of survey respondents said that online learning is easy to navigate compared to the 28.5% who said the same about traditional high school and the 27.1% who said that in-person college was easy to navigate. Further, 45.7% said that online school offered higher flexibility, while 13% said the same for in-person high school and 16.5% for in-person college.
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Learners value the accessibility, flexibility, and convenience of online education
Overall, there are many benefits to earning an education online versus in a traditional setting. For survey respondents, the biggest benefits of online education were
- Flexibility (60.9%)
- Accessibility (50.4%)
- Pace of learning (49.8%)
- Convenience (45.7%)
Additionally, online programs were generally considered more cost-effective, with 39.3% of respondents claiming that online education was more affordable for them. With flexible, accessible, affordable education, many respondents also felt that online solutions were worth it; 79.9% said they feel online education opened doors to opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to access.
Despite positive experiences with online education, there’s still room to improve perception
Despite an overall positive experience after being exposed to online education during the pandemic, there’s still a perception that online school is not as accepted as traditional options. Only 28.2% of respondents said that they felt online education was socially acceptable, while 23.7% said it was valued by educators. This is compared to the nearly half of respondents who said that in-person high school and college were more socially acceptable and valued by others.
Change can take time. With so much rapid change over only 4 years, imagine where online learning can go as technology, learner support, and student experiences continue to improve.
Read more: How 4 Organizations Use a Holistic Approach to Helping Learners Succeed Through Education
What’s next?
As reliance on the internet and technology continues to grow, so will the acceptance of online education. As technology advances and new data proves the effectiveness of online learning solutions, educators, online schools, and leaders in the space need to focus on ensuring a high-quality experience for all learners. “It is imperative that we continue to prioritize innovation, accessibility, and inclusivity in education,” wrote Dr. Andrew Shean, Penn Foster Group’s Chief Learning Officer, in a recent op-ed. “By harnessing the power of technology and embracing dynamic learning environments that may be outside of the traditional norm, we can empower learners to thrive in an ever-changing world.”