Is COVID-19 Pushing Higher Ed Over the Technology Tipping Point?
January 26, 2021
In this byline by Top Hat’s own Mike DiGregorio, Senior Manager of Customer Onboarding and Instructional Design, shares the key insights from Top Hat’s most recent survey of 3,000 undergraduates: that students who agreed their instructors promoted active learning and collaboration were more likely to say they saw value in their higher ed investment and to have a better overall opinion of their school. The effect was even more pronounced for faculty who made a concerted effort to create a sense of community in the virtual classroom. Students who agreed that this was the case felt they were learning more effectively online. They were also more likely to stay motivated outside of class and to have a positive opinion of their school and their higher ed investment compared to the average. Mike argues that if there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it is that it has put a premium on the need for quality instruction. It has also shown the current generation of faculty the potential of technology to transform the learning experience, even when campuses eventually reopen.