During a year in which a global pandemic forced the world’s education system online, there have been many lessons learned. None are bigger or more important than this one: fully online college students are twice as likely to say they are ‘comfortable sharing their opinions in class’ compared to fully in-person students. Results from the first Inside Higher Ed Student Voice survey of 2,000 students, conducted by CollegePulse, show that 32% of fully online students strongly agree they are comfortable sharing opinions in class while only 17% of fully in-person students say the same. Against the backdrop of social, racial and political unrest in the U.S., this finding has provocative and critically important implications.
Given the substantial difference in comfort levels sharing opinions in class by online vs. in-person status, it would seem likely there might also be differences by race. Indeed, there is no difference whatsoever between white and non-white students with exactly 28% strongly agreeing they are comfortable sharing opinions in class. Additionally, 31% of fully online students strongly agree “diverse opinions are welcomed in class.” This compares to just 19% of fully in-person students.
Questions abound from these insights. What is it about fully online classes that makes students twice as likely to feel comfortable sharing opinions? If you knew there was an intervention that would double the likelihood of students feeling comfortable sharing opinions in class and that diverse opinions are welcome, wouldn’t you want to implement it right away?