In the fall 2022 semester, more than half of college students took at least one online course, and approximately 20 percent of public four-year college students and 32 percent of community college students engaged exclusively in online education. This makes understanding how to effectively support online learners is critical. While research suggests that some forms of online learning do not have a negative impact on students, online learners are less likely to stay enrolled than their in-person peers.
A new study from MDRC examines how three institutions that are part of the State University of New York implemented success coaching programs to support online students’ academic achievement and educational experiences. The study includes interviews with coaches, student focus groups, a student survey, and an analysis of institutional data regarding online and in-person students. Each institutional partner has a program that serves a different online student population: one serves students in a fully online accounting degree program; the second, students enrolled in any online degree program, and the third, all students enrolled in online courses, regardless of their degree program.