Meeting 3 Key Student Expectations Through Exceptional Instructional Design for Online Courses

Student expectations are key for online enrollment. While increased demand for online learning has driven enrollment growth, simply having an online program may not be enough to attract and retain students. We must also consider the instructional design behind the course and how well it can deliver what students value. Fortunately, excellent recent survey data highlight what students want from their online and hybrid learning experiences.

Meeting expectations goes beyond keeping students happy—it’s crucial for enrollment. When you meet students’ expectations, their satisfaction increases, and they are more likely to persist in their programs. Institutions with greater student satisfaction scores also see higher graduation rates. Let’s consider how to optimize courses to meet their student expectations and drive enrollment.

1. Students expect learning that is relevant and timely

Relevance and timeliness have a great impact on student perceptions of their learning experience. McKinsey & Company’s recent survey of more than 7,000 college students globally revealed that students ranked timely content and relevant faculty among the most important elements shaping their online learning. The latest data from the RNL Priority Survey of Online Learners confirms that appropriate instructional materials are a high priority for online students.

Meeting student expectations and increasing student satisfaction are core principles behind RNL’s Instructional Design services. As part of our Course Optimizer process, RNL instructional designers help faculty update course materials and add multimedia that highlights relevant faculty expertise. Often this involves chunking learning materials to separate evergreen content that is continually relevant from dynamic content like timely case studies, current events, and statistics that will need to be updated more frequently.

Timeliness is important for instructor interactions as well. The same RNL survey indicates that online students value faculty who are responsive to student needs and provide timely feedback, yet many institutions don’t live up to this expectation. To address this concern, our team strengthens existing online courses by building opportunities for students to get frequent and meaningful feedback from their instructors at key points throughout the term.

2. Students expect learning that prepares them for the workforce

The health of the job market and career prospects after graduation also impact the educational decisions of current and prospective students. Cengage Group’s 2023 Employability Report shows that only 43 percent of recent graduates found a job within 12 months of graduation. Some graduates point to a gap in preparation, as only 41 percent felt their program taught them skills needed for their jobs, down from 63 percent last year. Interestingly, soft skills and time management topped the list of necessary job skills that graduates felt they did not obtain.

This low number may surprise faculty as well as provosts. According to the Inside Higher Ed 2023 Survey of Chief Academic Officers, 95 percent of provosts felt their institution was somewhat or very effective at preparing students for the world of work. In fact, it’s likely that many courses do offer opportunities to learn and practice these skills, but too often the value isn’t communicated to students. When working with faculty to optimize courses, RNL’s Instructional Design team amps up existing assignments to reflect workplace projects and highlight resume-worthy skills students will gain. If done across an entire program, such skills mapping can become an important recruitment tool.

3. Students expect learning that is available where they are

Students expect a mobile-friendly learning experience. This is a necessity for a large number of students who access course content on mobile devices due to limited broadband internet access or as a way to fit learning into their busy schedules on the go. According to a recent Educause Review article, at least 81 percent of surveyed students used their smartphones at least once a week for learning.

Expectations for mobile learning will only grow as Gen Z digital natives continue to enroll in both undergraduate and graduate programs. Wiley’s 2023 Voice of the Online Learner report noted that percent of prospective students wanted to complete most or all course activities on a mobile device. However, the same report found that only 38 percent of current students who wanted to complete most of their course activities on a mobile device were actually able to do so.

Many online courses were not designed with mobile learning in mind. While the institution’s LMS may have a mobile app, course content is often not optimized for mobile—think endless scrolling, unsupported file types, and poor organization. Using a multipoint course quality rubric that incorporates standards for digital content, accessibility, and navigation, our expert team audits courses across web and mobile platforms. This demand for mobile learning is why our Instructional Design team works with faculty to curate and create mobile-friendly learning content that enhances the learning experience.

How does your course quality measure up? Talk with our instructional design team.

Student expectations are just one driver guiding your online course quality strategy. Other factors include academic performance and post-graduation outcomes, student success, student engagement, faculty satisfaction, and accreditation standards.

When partnering with institutions, RNL’s Instructional Design team takes a holistic approach to optimize courses that take these factors into consideration. Using our research-based Course Quality Rubric we audit courses and develop customized plans to enhance courses in collaboration with faculty.

You can learn more during our webinar, Driving Enrollment Through World-Class Online Course Offerings. We also are happy to discuss instructional design strategies with you and your team. Reach out for a complimentary consultation and we will find a time to talk.