Opportunity through online learning: Improving student access, participation and success in higher education

Online learning has a critical place in widening access and participation in education for a diverse range of students, many of whom are from backgrounds which have been historically underrepresented at university. Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (low SES), students with disability, regional and remote students, Indigenous students, and students who are first in their families to enter university, are represented particularly strongly in online undergraduate programs. However, both retention and completion rates for online, distance students are considerably lower than amongst those enrolled as on-campus students. The research outlined in this report was made possible by an Equity Fellowship, offered for 2016 through the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education with funding from the Australian Government Department of Education and Training (DET). Through qualitative interviews with 151 members of academic and professional staff across 16 higher education institutions – 15 in Australia plus the Open University (OU) United Kingdom (UK) – it sought the combined wisdom of practitioners in online learning to inform the development of National Guidelines to Improve Student Outcomes in Online Learning. From analysis of the interview data and other related published research, seven key findings emerged. More...