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Program Director at Skillfactory, an educational institution specializing in information technology.
Statistical data on the transition of higher education to an online format
One of the key factors contributing to the development of the Russian EdTech market has become higher education in an online format: a growing number of Russian citizens prefer this method According to the results of the study "Analysis of the Higher Online Education Market (EdTech + Universities)" conducted by the Commonwealth of Online Higher Education (COHO), in 2023, total revenue in the online higher education segment increased by 131% compared to the previous year, reaching 3.3 billion rubles.
According to the same study, more than 65% of the online higher education sector consists of courses developed by universities in partnership with EdTech companies. In this context, the online master's program in Data Science, launched in 2020 jointly by Skillfactory and NUST MISIS, can be considered a pioneer. Since then, revenue from such programs has increased eighteenfold: in 2020, it amounted to 34.8 million rubles, and by 2023, it reached 631 million rubles.
In 2023, 85% of students chose distance master's programs, while 15% preferred bachelor's degrees. The growing popularity of online master's programs is due to the characteristics of the target audience: students are predominantly adults seeking to combine their studies with professional activities. Often, these are already experienced professionals who are looking to expand their skills and move into related fields.
According to a study, in 2023, HSE University became the leading university in terms of the number of first-year students studying online. This is due to the launch of its online campus last year. ITMO University took second place, and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) took third. In the EdTech sector, Skillfactory is at the forefront, followed by Skillbox and Netologiya, which also made it into the top three.
The IT sector occupies a leading position among students. Popular areas include digital product management, cyber and information security, as well as machine learning and data science.
Reasons for the growing popularity of online education in higher education
The increase in revenue in online higher education is due, on the one hand, to the growing number of students choosing these programs: last year, 3,539 people were enrolled in Russia, which is 26% more than the 2022 figures. On the other hand, these programs are attracting interest from universities.
McKinsey analysts are confident that the share of online education and the number of students studying distance learning programs will increase globally. This is due to the many advantages of this learning format.
What benefits do students receive?
- Flexibility is one of the key advantages of the online format. Students have the opportunity to combine distance learning with their main activities, adapting the learning process to their schedule. They can watch video lectures and complete assignments at any time convenient for them. As mentioned earlier, this is especially important given the specific target audience for online higher education programs: a diploma can be obtained without interrupting their working life.
- Accessibility of education. Distance learning provides the opportunity to gain knowledge from the best universities in the country, regardless of where they live, whether within Russia or abroad. According to HSE University, in 2023, residents of 66 regions of Russia and 11 countries, including China, the USA, Peru, Haiti, Mexico, Moldova, Greece, and Turkey, connected to the online campus.
- Practitioner teachers. Distance learning programs in higher education employ practicing specialists alongside academics. EdTech companies have more opportunities to attract such experts and can offer them competitive compensation than many traditional universities.
- Versatility. The master's program provides not only practical skills (known as hard skills) but also deep theoretical knowledge, which significantly expands the choice of available positions and opens the way to further academic study.
- Friendly customer service. Student support in such programs is typically divided into two main categories: organizational and expert. Students receive knowledge and advice from mentors, university faculty, course developers, and partners. At the same time, coordinators play a vital role in maintaining student motivation, helping them maintain a rhythm and master course materials on time. Soft skills. Nowadays, the need to be in an office has lost its relevance – many teams, especially in the IT field, operate remotely, located in various parts of the world. Working in such distributed groups has its own nuances, and online learning helps prepare students for such conditions. They master methods of interacting with peers and instructors remotely, and also learn how to manage their time effectively. One of the key advantages for higher education institutions is the opportunity to expand their target audience. The online learning format offers the opportunity to attract students from all over Russia to master's and bachelor's programs, including those who would not dare to move if it were a question of traditional on-campus education.
If an educational institution lacks a modern distance learning system (LMS, also known as LMS), this gap can be bridged by partnering with large EdTech companies. These companies typically have highly developed platforms and extensive experience in organizing online learning.
The Need to Consider Individual Characteristics in Online Learning
Distance learning is usually a conscious choice, as its benefits are well known. However, this format is not a universal solution. Students' expectations are often unrealistic, which can lead to their dropout. Even in traditional offline programs at the most renowned and prestigious universities, where the most ambitious applicants aspire, 20 to 25 percent do not complete their studies.
Online education has a slightly higher attrition rate, which, according to our observations, averages around 30%. The reasons why students leave a program can be varied - these can be changes in their personal lives or withdrawal due to insufficient academic performance. However, it is worth noting that successful online learning, especially in long-term programs such as higher education, requires not only high motivation but also the ability to self-regulate. This includes the ability to organize and control one's own learning process. Unfortunately, not everyone, even adults, has developed such skills.
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Six characteristics of an ideal student capable of successfully completing an online course.
Based on our analysis, we came to the conclusion that a number of circumstances often interfere with successful learning in Within higher education programs offered online:
- Challenges in maintaining academic discipline. There is a belief that online courses allow you to avoid the strict framework of the learning process and academic monitoring. However, this is not true. Expectations from students in the online format are no less than those set in traditional offline education. Online higher education programs have strict deadlines for completing assignments, which do not allow students to slack throughout the semester and encourage them to complete work on time. Students with poor academic performance, as a rule, are expelled within the first academic year.
- Lack of time management skills. To successfully study online, you need to have developed time management skills. Do not leave assignments until the last minute. You will have to master the art of planning the learning process or consider alternative learning options.
- Lack of clearly defined learning objectives. Online learning is best suited for students who are highly intrinsically motivated and clearly understand the knowledge they need and how they plan to use it in the future. This contributes to successful completion of the educational program. However, some intentions stated upon admission may indicate a low likelihood of completion. For example, vague or inappropriate goals such as: "I want to get any diploma" (studying for a formal certificate), "My parents insisted on it" (lack of personal motivation), "To figure out what to do in the future" (uncertain interests), "Because everyone studies online now." Students with such intentions may have a harder time maintaining discipline and interest throughout the course, increasing the likelihood of early withdrawal.
- The decline in engagement in the educational process is becoming increasingly noticeable. In response to this problem, modern online programs are implementing advanced technologies that allow them to track student activity during synchronous classes and on LMS platforms. These systems record various metrics, including tab switching, duration of time spent on an active video tab, participation in interactive exercises, and questions asked in chat. For some students, this monitoring serves as an incentive to become more active in their studies, but for others, it is not a sufficient motivator, and they may still drop out of the course.
With these circumstances in mind, each online master's program assigns coordinators who are responsible for supporting students and helping them achieve their educational goals, helping them stay on track. However, it should be remembered that even with the presence of mentors and other forms of support, personal motivation and time management remain indispensable. Therefore, a percentage of students who do not complete their studies becomes inevitable and is perceived as a natural process in the field of online education.
For developers and organizers of online programs in higher education, it is important to have a clear understanding of their target audience. That's why master's programs, which are most often offered online, are aimed at a more mature and self-aware group of students. When creating such programs, it's important to consider that potential participants are limited not only by financial resources and motivation for learning, but also by their ability to master the material independently.
The optimal candidate for an online higher education program is an individual who already has successful experience with distance learning and a clear understanding of their educational goals. Therefore, when creating and advertising online programs, it's necessary to focus on this specific category of students, rather than all potential students in general.
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- Master's Degrees in 2024: What Changes Await It?
- Self-regulated learning is a process in which a learner actively monitors and manages their own educational experience. This includes setting goals, choosing learning strategies, monitoring progress, and evaluating results. This concept is becoming increasingly relevant in educational technology and higher education for several reasons. First, modern educational platforms provide a variety of tools that support student autonomy. Students can choose the pace and format of their learning, allowing them to tailor the process to their personal preferences and learning styles. This promotes deeper engagement and motivation. Second, self-regulated learning develops important skills in students, such as critical thinking, self-discipline, and responsibility. These qualities are especially valuable in a rapidly changing world, where the ability to learn independently and adapt to new challenges is paramount. Furthermore, for universities, the implementation of self-regulated learning principles can lead to improved educational quality. Students with self-regulation skills are more likely to achieve higher results because they are able to effectively manage their time and resources. It can also reduce learning-related stress, as students feel more in control of their learning process.
Thus, self-regulated learning not only changes the approach to the educational process, but also opens up new horizons for students and educational institutions, emphasizing the importance of the learner's active role in their development.
- Six characteristics of a student who will successfully complete an online course.
- Analysis: trends and evolution of online master's degrees in Russia