Although colleges are increasingly adding online courses and degrees to their offerings, a large majority of college students still prefer learning the traditional way – from a live classroom lecture.
According to a new online study by Millennial Branding, a Generation Y consulting firm, and Internships.com, 78 percent of college students find it easier to learn in a live classroom setting and not through online courses or tutorials.
In fact, only 43 percent of students believe that the educational quality of online courses and tutorials can match or succeed that of a traditional classroom.
That doesn’t mean, however, that students completely shed technology when learning in the classroom. A whopping 84 percent of students said that they use computers in the classroom, while another 19 percent of students use tablets and smartphones.
The survey also found that students are increasingly aware of the fact that education is going digital, regardless of their personal feelings on the matter. According to the study, 39 percent of those surveyed said they could foresee college becoming more virtual, while 19 percent believe social media will become more integrated in the classroom in the near future.
“Millennials understand that the future of education is online and since they were brought up with the Internet, they are prepared for that change,” Dan Schawbel, the founder of Millennial Branding, said in a statement. “Education should not be a one-size-fits-all model, because everyone learns differently, regardless of age, occupation and location. More online courses should be offered to cater to those who learn better in a virtual classroom.”
Millennial Branding and Internships.com surveyed 1,345 college students in the United States online on May 16, 2013. The students were randomly selected from among the millions of registered users on the website Internships.com.
