Wiley Education Services Report Finds A Majority Of Its Students Are Satisfied With Learning Online

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Feb 18, 2020, 09:00 ET

HOBOKEN, N.J., Feb. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wiley Education Services, a division of Wiley (NYSE: JWA) (NYSE: JWB) and a leading global provider of technology-enabled education solutions and Aslanian Market Research, a division of EducationDynamics, today announced new insights directly from online learners to help pinpoint why they chose to study online, factors that contribute to their success, and whether they are satisfied with their enrollment decision. Results reveal that 88 percent of students are satisfied with their decision to enroll in an online program that Wiley supports. The findings also offer original data to refine best practices and establish benchmarks for further research into learner satisfaction.

The new report, "Student Perspectives on Online Programs: A Survey of Learners Supported by Wiley Education Services," analyzed nearly 3,000 responses from a survey of online learners enrolled in 19 of Wiley partner universities and colleges, and found that almost 90 percent are satisfied with their decision to enroll in their current online education program. Additionally, 91 percent of respondents believe that online programs challenge them to do well.

"Our goal at Wiley Education Services is to partner with schools to produce best-in-class educational opportunities, including impactful online programs, ultimately creating life-long learners," said David Capranos, director of market strategy and research at Wiley Education Services. "While we are pleased to see respondents are satisfied with our collective programs, learning continues to rapidly change. Wiley is taking the findings in our new report 'Student Perspectives on Online Learning' to enhance our partner schools' offerings and continue to evolve online education programs to meet the demands of learners."

Significant findings of the report include:

Satisfaction in online learning programs is high. Sixty three percent of respondents gave their program a rating of either nine or 10 on the Net Promoter Score (NPS), a metric scale of 10 that schools can use to forecast if learners will recommend their program. This ranking shows high overall program satisfaction. Additionally, 88 percent of learners agree or strongly agree that they are satisfied with their decision to enroll in their school's online program.
Learners want consistency throughout their program of study. Learners want consistency in the set-up of their coursework and continued throughout their journey. Satisfaction may rise if schools make course navigation more intuitive; for example, respondents often praised standard syllabus formats.
Interactions with faculty, peers and institutional staff are highly valued. Although collaborative experiences like group work contribute to the success of these learners, personal interactions with peers and faculty drove higher marks of satisfaction in online learning programs.
Respondents seek programs that offer flexibility. Learners today expect to blend online learning with their personal and professional obligations and value convenience of course schedules.

"We are delighted to have partnered with Wiley Education Services in this groundbreaking study of online student satisfaction with their choice of program," said Jane Sadd Smalec, senior consultant, Aslanian Market Research. "Having hard data directly from their students about what they value about their online learning experience is critical for continuous improvement and success of an institution's online programs."

While satisfaction levels are high, there are ways to enhance efforts to recruit, engage, support and instruct online learners. Three key recommendations that hinge on creating a learner-centered approach in all aspects of the journey include:

Examine the complete journey from start to finish. Learners believe online learning offers more flexible paths to a degree program as opposed to on-campus programs. Offering flexible course schedules and multiple start dates allow learners to earn a degree on their ideal timeline.
Create a consistent learning experience to alleviate unneeded stress. Learners voiced dissatisfaction with errors and clumsy navigation in course technologies. Schools should create a master-course model, a standard program format across courses that is shared with learners throughout their journey.
Empower faculty to engage with learners to improve the learning experience. Like in physical classrooms, faculty should serve as the face of an institution for online learners. Rapid ways to boost engagement include scheduling time for learners to "check in" during a term, offering video coursework and tailoring feedback around individual learning needs.

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For more information and the full report, please visit: https://edservices.wiley.com/student-perspectives-on-online-programs

About Wiley
Wiley drives the world forward with research and education. Through publishing, platforms and services, we help students, researchers, universities and corporations to achieve their goals in an ever-changing world. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to all of our stakeholders. The Company's website can be accessed at www.wiley.com.

About Wiley Education Services
Wiley Education Services, a division of Wiley, is a leading, global provider of technology-enabled education solutions to meet the evolving needs of universities, corporations and ultimately, learners. We partner with more than 60 institutions across the U.S., Europe and Australia, and support over 800-degree programs. Our best-in-class services and market insights are driven by our deep commitment and expertise—proven to elevate enrollment, retention and completion rates. For more information visit edservices.wiley.com.

About Aslanian Market Research
Aslanian Market Research (AMR) is EducationDynamics' market research division and a part of the Enrollment Management Services group. AMR works with dozens of colleges and universities each year to ensure that their on-ground and online programs meet the demands and preferences of today's adult, post-traditional and online students. AMR team members have conducted market analyses for nearly 300 colleges and universities in 44 states from Maine to Oregon and Minnesota to Texas, as well as internationally.

SOURCE Wiley Education Services