The APPG for Students has launched the Commission on Students in Higher Education as a means of feeding into the Department for Education’s HE Review through a student-centred lens. A call for evidence has now opened, until May 1st, where colleagues from across the sector are encouraged to input.
Alex Stanley is Vice President Higher Education of the National Union of Students (NUS).
Saranya Thambirajah is Vice President Liberation and Equality of the NUS.
The debates over the financial sustainability of the higher education sector, effective interventions in access and participation, and the quality of teaching will not be new to HEPI readers. Amongst the column inches and radio waves, however, students and the academic community are living these tensions every single day.
It’s no secret that students are working long hours during term time, living pay cheque to pay cheque to cover their rent and bills – plugging the gap created by real-terms cuts to maintenance support. The NUS’s own research shows that of those who work during their studies, over 60% are working over 20 hours per week. While we feel from the stories that students tell us that there must be a link between inadequate maintenance funding, working long hours and students’ eventual attainment and outcomes, we lack an evidence base on the impact of working hours or lack of financial support on students’ attainment.
Similarly, we are all aware that teaching standards and the concept of good degrees have spent the past fourteen years under the microscope, with innovative practice sometimes denounced as dumbing down in the press – and students told their course choice is leaving them with ‘low value degrees’, or that their hard work leading to higher grades is down to grade inflation.
At NUS, we firmly believe the way to cut through the noise is by focusing on the real-life, current experience of students – and that the best way to do that is to bring them into the rooms where decisions are made. We are proud to hold the APPG on Students, for which NUS UK serves as Secretariat, as a space which connects student leaders to Westminster decision makers. We’ve been using this to bring student voice to the Houses of Parliament for over a decade, from launching the landmark research on the Black Attainment Gap, providing space for students to grill Sir Philip Augar immediately after his report launched, to most recently shaping the Renters’ Reform and then Renters’ Rights Bills, with interventions from current students the genesis of now-passed amendments on limiting rent up front and controlling the student lettings cycle. There is no question that bringing students and young people into the room on issues that impact them makes policy decisions better and enriches the debate.
In this vein, we are proud to launch the Commission on Students in Higher Education, designed to place students at the heart of the current debates on funding, teaching and attainment.
The Commission will tackle the big issues of the current funding debate: teaching standards, maintenance funding and student outcomes, drawing on the expertise of a cross-party group of Commissioners and higher education specialists, all working to provide meaningful recommendations which should influence and complement the Department for Education’s HE Review and the Comprehensive Spending Review.
We will begin with an in-person event on Maintenance Funding tomorrow, Wednesday 23 April, when we will hear from proposers of four different ways of funding a more generous student maintenance offer, who will then be questioned by students and Parliamentarians.
We will take in written evidence on the core areas of the Commission: maintenance funding, students and work, widening participation & student outcomes and teaching quality.
We welcome submissions from colleagues across students’ unions, the academic community and sector practitioners who, like us, are keen to see the HE Review and Spending Review succeed in solving some of the existential problems we are facing across the sector.
Borrowers in default could see their tax refunds or other federal benefits withheld once collections resume.
J. David Ake/Getty Images
The Education Department will resume collecting on defaulted student loans early next month, restarting a system that’s been on hold since spring 2020, the agency announced Monday.
Starting May 5, the department will withhold tax refunds or benefits such as Social Security from borrowers who are in default. Later this summer, the department will begin garnishing the wages of defaulted borrowers, a move consumer protection advocates have criticized as out of control.
About 38 percent of the nearly 43 million student loan borrowers are current on their payments, and a record number of borrowers are at risk of or in delinquency and default, the department said Monday. Borrowers default when they miss at least 270 days of payments.
When the Biden administration restarted student loan payments in September 2023, it offered a one-year grace period for borrowers during which those who didn’t make payments were spared the worst financial consequences, including default.
Research into borrowers who default and other data shows they typically fall behind on their payments because other loans take a higher priority or they can’t afford their payments, among other reasons. And borrowers in default usually don’t have the ability to repay their loans. A survey from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that unemployed borrowers were twice as likely to default compared to those who worked full-time. Additionally, borrowers who didn’t complete the education they took out loans to pay for are more likely to default than completers.
“The folks who fall behind on their payments are those who are least well served by the higher education and repayment systems,” said Sarah Sattelmeyer, project director for education, opportunity and mobility in the higher education initiative at New America, a left-leaning think tank. “A lot of those folks did not receive a return on their higher education investment … These aren’t people who overwhelmingly do not want to pay their loans.”
About 5.3 million borrowers have defaulted on their loans, and many have been in default for more than seven years, according to the department. Another four million borrowers are in “late-stage delinquency,” or 91 to 180 days behind on their payments. The department expects about 10 million or nearly one-quarter of borrowers to default by the fall.
“We think that the federal student loan portfolio is headed toward a fiscal cliff if we don’t start repayment and collections,” a senior department official said on a press call Monday. “American taxpayers can no longer serve as collateral for student loans.”
The official didn’t take questions, and a department spokesperson referred reporters to Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s recent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. She’s also slated to appear on CNBC and Fox Business to discuss the restart in collections.
In her public statements Monday, McMahon blamed the Biden administration and colleges for the current situation.
“Colleges and universities call themselves nonprofits, but for years they have profited massively off the federal subsidy of loans, hiking tuition and piling up multibillion-dollar endowments while students graduate six figures in the red,” she wrote in the Journal.
Beyond the immediate restart, the senior department official said the department is planning to work with Congress to fix the system so that students can afford their loan payments and to lower the cost of college.
Former Biden administration officials, borrowers and debt-relief advocates havesaid that efforts to forgive student loans were a way to address systemic failures in the student loan system and to help vulnerable borrowers who were likely to never repay their loans.
The department is planning a “robust communication strategy,” the senior official said, to spread the word to borrowers and share information about their options, such as enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan or loan rehabilitation.
Currently, about 1.8 million borrowers have pending applications for an IDR plan, but the department intends to clear that backlog over the next few weeks, the official said. The department also is planning to email borrowers individually about their options. The outreach plan also includes extending the loan servicers’ call center hours on weekends and weeknights.
Sattelmeyer, who worked in the Office of Federal Student Aid during the Biden administration, said it will be important to ensure borrowers have access to information and the tools such as IDR plans to either get out of or avoid default and then stay on track. She questioned whether the department has enough staff to restart collections effectively, given the recent mass layoffs at the agency.
“The issue is that the system is in disarray right now and there have not been a consistent set of options available for borrowers at the same time that we’re turning back on collections,” she said. “At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is that it does not feel like we have the resources and the staffing in place to make this go smoothly and to ensure that borrowers have support and access to resources and tools.”
Colleges and universities are home to an array of resources to help students thrive and succeed, but many students don’t know about them. Just over half (56 percent) of college students say they’re aware of tutoring and academic supports on campus, compared to 94 percent of college employees who say their campus offers the resources.
At the University of South Florida, the Academic Success Center is a central office in the library that houses tutoring, the writing lab, peer mentoring and supplemental instruction, among other academic support offerings for undergraduates.
Zoraya Betancourt became director of the center in 2020 during a challenging time, she said—in part because the center had to reintroduce itself to incoming students who had never been on campus and those who had their college experience disrupted by COVID-19.
National data shows that students at large public institutions are spending less time studying outside of class now compared to during the 2018–19 academic year, and they are less likely to participate in a study group with their peers.
“For me, it was like, OK, we are going to have to be very different. We can’t go back to who we were,” Betancourt said.
Spurred by student data and feedback, Betancourt and her team led a remodel of the center to be more responsive to student needs and meet them where they are.
Data-based decisions: To start, Betancourt partnered with Steve Johnson, a data scientist on the university’s Predictive Analytics Research for Student Success team, to build a dashboard of student data.
“For many years the only data we had was how many students come and use the services how many times,” as well as some student identification data, Betancourt said. “I always thought we need more than that—we need to know more than that.”
Now, Betancourt has access to student majors, colleges and the types of services they utilize to identify high-demand subjects and create responsive learning support schedules. The dashboard also connects the way services are tied to student retention and outcome goals.
In addition to automating some work, the dashboard allows staff to engage students more directly. Each week, the system generates a report of new visitors to the center, which staff use to reach out and personally welcome students to the center and its services.
A care-centered model: One trend that became clear in student interactions was the prevalence of stress in the student experience, Betancourt said. “Our tutors are coming to us and saying, ‘I have a student … and I don’t know how to help them.’”
In response, the office adopted a care model for referrals that quickly connects support staff with other departments, reducing opportunities for students to fall through the cracks.
“Within this referral system, we can go in and see if a student who is using our services says, ‘I really need to change my major and I don’t know what to do, I’m really stressing out over it,’” Betancourt said. “We’re able to go into the system and refer them directly to an adviser.”
Larry Billue Jr. serves as the Academic Success Center point person for care management, guiding students to counseling support, financial aid, basic needs support and academic advisers or just sitting with the student to discuss how they’re feeling.
Increased peer engagement: Another new feature of the ACS was supplemental instruction. While the academic intervention has been around for decades, it was new to the university and created opportunities for increased collaboration between staff and faculty to promote academic success, as well as create jobs for student employees.
“That became more evident because we were hearing from students, ‘I need more than just tutoring. I like working with my peers,’” Betancourt said.
At USF, supplemental instruction is called PASS, short for peer-assisted study sessions. The ACS is tracking student participation in PASS to gauge use.
Students can also sign up to receive remote tutoring in select courses through the PORTAL (peer online resources for tutoring and learning), to supplement in-person opportunities when the office may be closed.
The impact: Over the past year, the center has seen a 75 percent year-over-year increase in student use.
Having a care team member on board has also been successful; Billue Jr. can physically walk a student across campus to the relevant office and make introductions as needed.
“It’s been well received by students; they take him up on the offer and they’ll walk with him,” Betancourt said.
The center has also expanded training for academic peer mentors to address not only study strategies and effective learning practices, but also how to make referrals to other offices.
The biggest lesson Betancourt has learned: There are a range of opportunities to engage students and connect with them, understanding those opportunities just requires a deeper look at what students need.
“We serve to engage students on campus, to engage students with each other, to engage students with faculty and with staff, and it’s looking at that a little bit closer to improve our services and how we can build on that,” Betancourt said.
Do you have an academic intervention that might help others improve student success? Tell us about it.
How does student satisfaction at HBCUs compare to institutions nationally?
Student satisfaction is a critical component for student success. At RNL, we have observed that satisfaction can vary based on the institution type. Student satisfaction levels at a four-year private may differ from a four-year public. In addition, we have seen that students at schools with a specific identity or mission (such as Christian colleges) may also have different levels of satisfaction. This is why it is helpful for institutions to have an external perspective for comparing their satisfaction scores with institutions that are most like theirs—by type, region of the country, or by the particular population of students they serve.
The value and impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is well known and documented. HBCUs play a crucial role in advancing educational equity, fostering leadership, and preparing students to excel in a global workforce. Despite comprising roughly 3% of U.S. colleges and universities, HBCUs produce nearly a quarter of all Black graduates, with impact extending beyond academic preparation, serving as powerful engines of economic growth, providing supportive learning environments, and culturally affirming communities at critical times in the student development cycle.
HBCUs have experienced a surge in student interest over the past several years, leading many campuses to review and refine recruitment and student success strategies. As a result of the increased prioritization of student satisfaction, over the past three years, RNL has created a national comparison group of four-year private and public HBCUs, offering the best external comparison by which institutions may compare themselves. These data can also inform our understanding of the student experience at HBCUs.
How satisfied are students attending HBCUs?
The RNL Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) is a survey instrument that measures student satisfaction and priorities. The assessment informs campuses of satisfaction levels of various aspects of the student experience, including instructional effectiveness, academic advising, and recruitment and financial aid. The assessment then identifies how those satisfaction levels affect student decisions related to persistence. Over the past three academic years (2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24), 8,938 students attending 20 HBCUs have completed the SSI, providing an opportunity for us to assess their satisfaction and compare it to students at other four-year public or private institutions.
Why do students choose HBCUs?
The SSI asks students to rate the importance of factors that influenced their decision to enroll at their college or university. When we explore the results for students at HBCUs compared with students at the other two institution types, we see the following levels of importance placed on each factor:
Note the higher importance levels HBCU students placed on recommendations from family and friends, underscoring the importance of highlighting student and alumni outcomes. These results invite university leaders, including admissions and enrollment officers, institutional advancement/transformation officers, and leadership within alumni affairs, to consider how they are positioning various factors and what messaging they may want to emphasize throughout the recruitment process.
As this chart on overall perceptions indicates, students at HBCUs have lower levels over overall satisfaction and were less likely to say they would re-enroll at their institution if they had to do it all over again compared to four-year institutions nationally. Although several factors may contribute to differences in satisfaction levels, this indicates that there is potential for improvement in serving students at HBCUs and meeting their expectations. Several factors may contribute to the differences in satisfaction levels. The call to action, however, is clear—campuses must create and implement concrete action plans to address high priority concerns.
The Power of Institutional Choice
For years, RNL has noted that students attending their first-choice institution tend to have higher satisfaction than students attending their second- or third-choice institution. Ideally, an institution should strive to have the majority population believe the institution is their first choice, to be in the best position for higher satisfaction scores. In this HBCU data set, the impact of institutional choice is clearly seen. As illustrated in the chart below, only 47% of students indicate that the HBCU was their first choice, as compared with 64% of students at four-year public nationally and 63% of students at four-year private institutions.
While these two charts look similar, the second one shows the percentage of students who said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their experience based on whether they thought the school was their first-, second- or third-choice. These percentages decline considerably for students who did not want to attend the institution.
This indicates that HBCUs have an opportunity to better position themselves as a first-choice institution for the population of students they are actively recruiting and to communicate why their college is the best fit and the best option for the student. Larger sample sizes from HBCU campuses could further assist with understanding the impact of institutional choice on satisfaction levels.
Many strengths and a few challenges
The SSI asks students to indicate both a level of importance and a level of satisfaction with a variety of student experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. The combination of these scores lead to the identification of strengths (high importance and high satisfaction) and challenges (high importance and low satisfaction). Strengths and challenges are identified for individual institutions administering the survey instrument and can also be indicated for the national comparison data sets.
When we reviewed the national HBCU group of 8,938 students, more strengths than challenges were identified.
Strengths
My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major.
Major requirements are clear and reasonable.
I am able to experience intellectual growth here.
Tutoring services are readily available.
Nearly all of the faculty are knowledgeable in their field.
My academic advisor is approachable.
The content of the courses within my major is valuable.
Library resources and services are adequate.
There is a strong commitment to racial harmony on this campus.
Faculty are usually available after class and during office hours.
There is a commitment to academic excellence on this campus.
Class change (drop/add) policies are reasonable.
Student disciplinary procedures are fair.
The student center is a comfortable place for students to spend their leisure time.
Library staff are helpful and approachable.
Bookstore staff are helpful.
While many of these strengths overlap with what we see in the national four-year private and public data sets, it is still noteworthy to highlight that, despite the generally lower satisfaction scores at HBCUs, there are still many areas to celebrate. Students value the support received by faculty and staff. Students appreciate the availability of academic resources. Students are highly appreciative that their campus communities are accepting and affirming of who they are and support who they are seeking to become.
Challenges
Only five challenges were identified in the national HBCU data set:
I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts.
Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment.
Security staff respond quickly in emergencies.
This institution shows concern for students as individuals.
Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in a course.
Again, most of these items overlap with challenges identified at the other institution types, which says that the experience students are having at HBCUs may be more similar than it is different. However, that does not discount the fact that the HBCUs bring something special to the marketplace for students.
Survey your students
While observing national norms is valuable, the greatest value comes when institutions survey their own student populations to determine satisfaction levels and to see specific strengths and challenges that apply to their college or university. Please contact Julie Bryant if you are interested in learning more about assessing student satisfaction on your campus. If you are an HBCU, RNL will provide the additional comparison group of just HBCUs to you at no additional charge.
RNL supports HBCUs through various initiatives aimed at enhancing enrollment, student success, and fundraising efforts. Key contributions include:
Annual HBCU Summit: RNL organizes a yearly summit tailored for HBCU leaders to network, share data, exchange ideas, and develop actionable plans for immediate campus implementation. This year’s summit will take place July 21 in Atlanta, Georgia, and will focus on marketing, recruitment, student success strategies, the impact of trends and technology on HBCUs and the impact sociopolitical climate shifts will have on operational strategy.
Dedicated team for HBCUs: RNL has an established team of senior-level consultants focused on supporting HBCUs. I lead this team, and we aim to help institutions enhance service to students, meet enrollment and revenue goals, and fulfill their mission.
Through these efforts, RNL demonstrates a commitment to empowering HBCUs with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in a competitive educational landscape.
2025 RNL HBCU Summit
July 21, 2025 in Atlanta
Join us for this one-day Summit held before the RNL National Conference. You’ll hear key strategies for meeting your goals for marketing, recruitment, and retention. Registration is complimentary when you also register for the RNL National Conference.
Upward transfer from a community college to a four-year bachelor’s degree–granting institution is a complicated process that leaves many students behind—particularly those from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Last month, the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program published the second edition of the Transfer Playbook, a guidebook for colleges and universities seeking to eliminate barriers to transfer and increase the number of students who start at a community college and complete a bachelor’s degree.
The report details how colleges and universities can implement three evidence-based strategies that improve transfer and includes examples of institutions that are successful in this work.
By the numbers: Previous surveys have shown that a majority (80 percent) of community college students aspire to a bachelor’s degree, but only 16 percent earn a bachelor’s degree within six years of starting college.
Transfer rates are even lower for some student groups, including those from low-income backgrounds, adult learners and Black and Hispanic students, according to the report.
With the cost of higher education climbing, many students consider community college an affordable route to a postsecondary credential. However, little progress has been made over the past decade in increasing transfer rates from two-year to four-year institutions, according to the report’s authors.
“Transfer and bachelor’s attainment rates for students who start in community colleges have remained virtually unchanged since we started tracking transfer in 2015,” they write.
The playbook identifies colleges and universities that have achieved better outcomes for various groups using some of the recommended practices. None of the institutions or partnerships exhibited all the practices. “However, we hypothesize that by combining the exemplars’ efforts into a comprehensive, idealized framework, higher education leaders and practitioners can adapt it to meet their students’ needs and achieve strong outcomes for all—and at scale,” the report says.
Put into practice: Researchers identified a few consistent themes that set innovative institutions apart, which include:
Leveraging proximity. Research shows students are more likely to enroll in college based on proximity, so creating local pathways between community colleges and four-year universities can support students who want to stay in the region.
Providing empathy in high-stakes decisions. Missteps in course, major or transfer destination selection can have financial and opportunity costs for a student, which can impede their attainment or push them to stop out entirely. Effective colleges offer personalized support through staff or create tools that provide guidance in a timely manner.
Establishing universal systems and initiatives. Some programs provide strong outcomes for historically underrepresented groups but are not large enough to reach students at scale. Exemplars instead use these programs as pilots to test effective measures and then scale them.
Achieving support from leaders. Grassroots efforts can help move the needle, but recognition, elevation and investment by senior leadership allow work to scale in sustained ways, regardless of staffing turnover.
According to the report, the most effective strategies for creating sustainable transfer student success at scale are:
Prioritizing transfer at the executive level. A key driver in systemwide change was community college and four-year presidents who understand the central role of transfer student success in their respective institutional missions and business goals. This top-down approach allows for allocation of resources, division mobilization and partnerships across colleges, which often benefit the local community and workforce. This also allows for end-to-end redesign of the transfer student experience, and establishment of systems and processes.
Aligning programs and pathways. Colleges that create and regularly update term-by-term, four-year maps for each degree program can promote learning and ensure students are making significant progress toward a bachelor’s degree, such as completing college-level math and English and major-related courses. These maps should also prioritize accessibility and flexibility, understanding that student needs and priorities may shift and the way they complete courses may change. Some students may need exploratory curricula to help them identify their educational and career goals, so embedding this instruction early is also paramount.
Tailoring advising and nonacademic supports. “Research indicates that about half of the community college students nationally who intend to transfer do not access transfer services,” the report says. Instead, institutions should put in place inevitable advising, engaging transfer students before, during and after their transition to a university. Advisers should receive professional development and training that centers the student experience and equips them to engage with individual students and their respective circumstances. Once students land at their four-year institution, creating systems and supports that uplift the transfer experience and inspire feelings of belonging is also critical.
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The shift to virtual learning, accelerated by the global pandemic, has fundamentally transformed the way education is delivered. As a result, the lasting impact of this transition, along with the necessary adaptations, continues to reshape how education is offered to its target market. With the growing demand for contemporary online education, it is crucial to analyze instructional design – a systematic process that applies psychological principles of human learning to develop effective instructional solutions. This involves evaluating the most effective methods and learning environments to engage students and enhance their achievement of desired learning outcomes.
In this light, designing and facilitating online discussions to increase student engagement, peer connection, and idea exchange, as well as creating a cohesive online learning community for knowledge creation, is far more important for the success of online education. However, delivering online education is crucial in this circumstance as it is really challenging to effectively engage students in the learning process. As students and educators adapt to digital platforms, student engagement has emerged as a key concern in online learning. Traditional classroom techniques often fall short in this new landscape, requiring educators to explore innovative instructional strategies. Two such approaches—microlearning and andragogy—offer promising solutions to enhance student engagement and knowledge retention.
In the traditional learning environment, student engagement levels varied, and educators could easily gauge participation where, in online platforms, the lack of physical presence and direct interaction makes it difficult to assess student engagement. The challenge is further compounded by students balancing their studies with household chores which can lead to decreased motivation if adequate support is not provided by the instructor. Therefore, it is evident that online learning presents a unique set of challenges. Thus, the students who study online must be self-motivated and disciplined enough to work alone as the lack of face-to-face accountability makes it easier for them to drop out without being noticed.
As a result, in today’s competitive lifelong learning landscape, an online course that simply gives information is no better than any other. Hence, instructors should differentiate themselves by offering innovative and interactive online courses that engage, connect, and transform students, enabling them to learn efficiently and effectively from anywhere, converting learning into an enjoyable experience. Consequently, the role of instructors becomes more crucial in designing effective online learning experiences that foster active student participation. Thus, in this turbulent environment, the social, economic, and technical developments elicit new learning concepts and practices, leading to transformations in the way education is delivered to meet the high expectations of the corporate sector. Therefore, the role played by microlearning and andragogy in enhancing online student engagement is crucial in the current context.
Microlearning: Small Bites, Big Impact
Microlearning delivers content in small, focused segments, allowing learners to absorb and retain information more effectively. Research has shown that this approach enables students to process and recall course materials in a more manageable way. Giurgiu (2017) describes that microlearning consists of “bite-sized” educational chunks, usually lasting only a few minutes and designed to cater to the learner’s individual needs. Moreover, microlearning’s approach to delivering short, fine-grained, interconnected and loosely coupled learning activities emphasizes individual learning needs (Singh, 2014). Thus, microlearning fits within the constraints of human cognitive capacity by aligning with how working memory functions. Research highlights that short, structured learning modules enhance engagement and reduce cognitive overload. Hence, in contrast to traditional lengthy lectures, microlearning helps move information from working memory to long-term memory more effectively. In this way, microlearning has become so demanding in current online education.
Another advantage of microlearning is that it addresses the forgetting curve, which predicts that memory retention will deteriorate over time if not reinforced. The forgetting curve illustrates how humans have a tendency to lose nearly half of newly learned information within days or weeks unless they consciously review the learned information. Further, the forgetting curve supports one of the seven types of memory failures: transience which refers to the natural process of forgetting as time passes.
Spaced repetition techniques used in microlearning counteract this decline by reinforcing knowledge retention at periodic intervals. This method involves recalling the same material multiple times over a period, helping to solidify the information in long-term memory with each recall.
Another point where microlearning enhances online student engagement is that it enables students to be entirely focused on and more engaged in learning by allowing them to complete lessons according to their own schedule rather than on someone else’s schedule. Further, in online education as learning takes place outside of the classroom, it has a greater potential for application than typical classroom learning by integrating learning with experience. In this arena, microlearning allows for location-based learning, which can be quite beneficial in increasing students’ engagement in online learning platforms.
Another method of incorporating microlearning to boost online student engagement is to simply include specific sorts of micro lessons within the course itself which can more-or-less run parallel to the course. Microlearning can be integrated into online education using digital tools like Kahoot, GoSoapBox, and Padlet, as well as interactive quizzes ensuring a more interactive and engaging learning experience. Furthermore, designing course materials in concise, digestible formats allows students to integrate learning into their daily schedules more effectively. In this way, microlearning not only brings education back to its original format in some sense but also enhances online student engagement in numerous ways.
Andragogy: Engaging Adult Learners
As the demographics of online learners shift toward older and more diverse groups, understanding how adults learn is essential. Knowles’ andragogical principles emphasize self-directed learning, real-world application, and experiential learning, which are particularly relevant in virtual educational settings. Unlike younger students, adult learners tend to be goal-oriented, seeking education that directly contributes to their career or personal development. They benefit from problem-centered learning and contextual applications, making real-world examples, discussion forums, and interactive activities essential components of online education. Thus, for effective engagement of adult learners in online education, educators must incorporate techniques such as:
encouraging self-paced learning with embedded resources for independent study
facilitating peer discussions and collaborative problem-solving exercises and
utilizing real-world case studies to link theoretical concepts with practical applications.
In practice, andragogy works best when it is tailored to the characteristics of the learners and the learning circumstance.
Combining Microlearning and Andragogy for Optimal Engagement
Recent changes in the macro environment, in the form of advancements in technology and natural transitions, shifted education from traditional platforms to virtual platforms where student engagement is crucial for the success of the learning process. Thus, blending microlearning with andragogical principles creates an effective learning framework that accommodates both cognitive and experiential learning styles. While microlearning breaks down complex topics into smaller units for better retention, andragogy ensures that these units are meaningful and applicable in real-life scenarios. Thus, educators can implement this blended approach by:
structuring courses into short, interactive modules aligned with real-world applications
incorporating multimedia elements, such as videos, infographics, and gamified content to enhance engagement
encouraging student-led discussions and collaborative learning environments
providing frequent, low-stakes assessments that reinforce learning without adding stress
Addressing Online Learning Challenges
Despite its advantages, online learning presents distinct challenges. Unlike face-to-face settings where instructors can monitor student behavior and adjust teaching methods accordingly, online educators must rely on different strategies to enhance student engagement. Many students struggle with motivation and time management, often due to external distractions. Additionally, the absence of direct supervision can lead to passive learning behaviors, where students disengage without accountability. Thus, to combat these issues, instructors must take a proactive approach in designing online courses. Therefore, ensuring frequent interaction between educators and students, integrating real-world problem-solving activities, and leveraging technological tools can enhance student engagement. Furthermore, the use of formative assessments and timely feedback creates an environment where students feel supported and encouraged.
Conclusion
As online education continues to evolve, educators must adopt innovative strategies to maintain student engagement and improve learning outcomes with microlearning and andragogy provide a structured approach in achieving this goal. Microlearning, as a natural extension of traditional learning, leverages the potential of mobile technology to deliver short, focused lessons that enhance retention while andragogical principles ensure that learning is relevant and applicable to real-life situations. By integrating both approaches, educators can create a dynamic, engaging, and effective online learning experience for learners of all ages. Moreover, the success of online education hinges on its ability to keep learners motivated and actively engaged. Thus, by utilizing a proper combination of traditional and modern instructional strategies, instructors can foster an environment where students not only absorb knowledge but also apply it effectively in their academic and professional journeys.
N.K.L. Silva
Ms. Nilanthige Kaushalya Lakmali Silva is a Lecturer at the Department of Accountancy, University of Kelaniya. She teaches Management, Economics, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Strategic Management and Information Management. Ms. Silva holds a B.B.Mgt. (Special) Degree in Accountancy with a First-Class Honours and an M.Sc. in Management with a Merit. Her research interests include major areas of Accounting and Finance, with a particular focus on Sri Lanka’s Capital Markets, Micro and Macro Economic Environment, Corporate Governance, and Corporate Fraud. She has published several research papers in academic journals and conference proceedings. She is a CMA Sri Lanka Passed Finalist and has completed the Diploma in Banking and Finance at the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka.
N. P. K. Ekanayake
Ms. Neranjana Priyangani Kumari Ekanayake, a senior lecturer at the University of Kelaniya, teaches Investment and Portfolio Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Behavioural Finance, and Advanced Management Accounting. She holds a BBA in Accounting (Special) and an MSc in Management (Specialized in Finance) and is a CIMA passed finalist.
References
Bustillo-booth, M. (2019). Applying Andragogy to Online Course Design to Increase Student Engagement and Success. Magna Publications Inc., 1–26.
Dixson, M. D. (2010). Creating Effective Student Engagement in Online Courses: What Do Students Find Engaging? Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(2), 1–13.
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F. & Swanson, R. A. (1998). The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.
Orlando, J. (2021). Using Microlearning to Improve Student Understanding of Course Content. Magna Publications Inc., 1–18.
Palis, A. G., & Quiros, P. A. (2014). Adult Learning Principles and Presentation Pearls. Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology, 21(2), 114–122.
Zheng, M. S. (2016). How to Design and Facilitate Online Discussions that Improve Student Learning and Engagement. Magna Publications Inc., 1–18.
Title: The Invisible Barrier: How Restrictions on Majors Influence Career Paths
Source: Strada Education Foundation
Author: Nichole Torpey-Saboe and Akua Amankwah-Ayeh
When university departments face increasing demand, many implement additional entry requirements. But this seemingly reasonable practice has far-reaching consequences for equity and workforce development, according to new research from Strada Education Foundation surveying recent college graduates.
The study found that while 67 percent of recent public four-year institution graduates considered a restricted major, only 50 percent were admitted to one. This gap translates to more than 200,000 students annually deterred from pursuing their preferred field of study—with the impact falling disproportionately on historically marginalized populations. Black graduates (27 percent) and first-generation students (22 percent) did not pursue restricted majors of interest at higher rates than the average graduate (17 percent).
A notable finding is that major restrictions operate largely outside institutional awareness. For every student formally rejected from a restricted major, four others never apply, deterred by requirements they see as difficult to meet. This “invisible barrier” effect means institutional data captures only a fraction of the impact, making it difficult for institutions to fully assess the effects of these policies.
These findings align with economic research by Zachary Bleemer and Aashish Mehta that highlights two conclusions. First, major restrictions have tripled the economic value gap between degrees earned by underrepresented minority students and their peers since the mid-1990s. Second, there is no evidence that restrictions improved educational outcomes for excluded students or enhanced the value of restricted majors for those who remained.
The most common restrictions respondents report are academic performance thresholds: out-of-department GPA requirements (42 percent), in-department GPA thresholds (33 percent), and test score requirements (29 percent). Other barriers include higher costs (15 percent), required work hours (12 percent), wait lists (9 percent), portfolio reviews (8 percent), and auditions (7 percent).
The research identifies four approaches institutions might consider:
Implement bridge programs for underrepresented students in gateway courses for high-demand majors, paired with specialized academic and career advising.
Develop alternative credential pathways through certificates, minors, and interdisciplinary programs that provide students access to skills in high-demand fields without major-specific entry barriers.
Secure funding, such as through state appropriations, to expand educational resources and capacity in high-demand departments, recognizing these programs’ higher delivery costs as well as their value.
Work with industry leaders to secure access to equipment, facilities, guest instructors, and financial support to expand capacity in resource-intensive programs.
While institutional resource constraints are real, the unintended consequences of major restrictions are reshaping student pathways in ways that affect both equity and workforce development. By implementing thoughtful alternatives, institutions can better respond to student aspirations while addressing workforce needs.
Title: Flourishing: Bolstering the Mental Health of Students at HBCUs and PBIs
Source: United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
Student mental health is often a chief concern for university administrations and faculty alike, with institutions working to develop strong mental health resources for students. Mental health concerns, however, can vary drastically from student to student, requiring dynamic responses to support the ever-changing challenges students face.
Over the course of two semesters in 2023, over 2,500 students at 16 HBCUs and two Predominantly Black Institutions were administered the Health Minds Survey (HMS) to determine the unique mental health challenges and provide insights into the college experience for Black students. A report by UNCF, in partnership with the Healthy Minds Network and The Steve Fund, found that Black students at HBCUs demonstrate more positive mental health outcomes compared to students overall. The report also highlights potential areas for schools to further support students. The key takeaways are listed below:
HBCU students are flourishing: 45 percent of HBCU students report flourishing mental health, in comparison to the national HMS sample of students (36 percent) and Black students at small predominantly white institutions (PWIs) (38 percent). These figures were determined by students agreeing with statements such as “I am a good person and live a good life” and “I am confident and capable in the activities that are important to me.”
HBCU students report a greater sense of belonging (83 percent) and lower levels of high loneliness (56 percent) than their peers when compared to Black students at PWIs, of whom 72 percent report feeling a sense of belonging and 58 percent report high loneliness.
HBCU students report less anxiety, less substance use, and being less at-risk for developing an eating disorder than both the national HMS sample of students and the sample of Black students at PWIs.
Financial stress plays a significant role in mental health for students at HBCUs, with 52 percent of students reporting that their financial situation is “always” or “often” stressful.
More than half of students at HBCUs report unmet mental health needs (54 percent), which can be defined as “exhibiting moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety or depression and reporting no mental health treatment within the past year.” Findings indicate that this may stem in part from HBCU students reporting stigmas around seeking out mental health services. 52 percent of HBCU students reported experiencing these stigmas, compared to 41 percent of the national HMS sample.
Nearly 80 percent of HBCU students agree that student mental health is a top priority for their school, and 55 percent of students report feeling that their campus supports open discussions regarding mental health.
In response to the survey findings, the report supplies several recommendations to further support and increase research on HBCU mental health resources. UNCF states that producing longitudinal studies regarding mental health at HBCUs and exploring the intersecting factors that impact mental health may allow institutions to better react to the ever-changing mental health needs of their students. Further data support would provide means to measure outcomes for mental health programs and resources, allowing institutions to fine-tune their services to best support student flourishing.
To read more, click here to access the full report.
—Julia Napier
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