A recent study by Online Colleges finds that more US college students prefer a hybrid of online/offline education than a pure experience in either direction. This may be a surprise for those that rave about the pros or perils of online classes, but a hybrid learning environment really helps capture the benefits of each.

Online universities tend to create a disconnect between students and their school, causing students to miss out on the chance of “bumping elbows” with peers (Cabel Harris, Professor at VCU Brandcenter). But if a traditional university isn’t embracing new technology, it’s missing a huge opportunity to continue educating students after they leave the classroom.

Surprisingly, according to research by Educause, only 78% of students feel that wifi is extremely valuable for their academic success, while 60% of students said they wouldn’t attend a college all if it didn’t offer free wifi. The study also finds that 47% of students believe technology makes professors better at their jobs, yet over 30% of students found their instructors to be incapable of getting technology working without student aid.

As someone with both online and traditional campus experience, this totally resonates with me. It’s important to bring technology into the classroom and experiment with new forms of education, because old methods may start to fail on new generations!

For more on how technology is shaping the future of education, read how Play Ludwig teaches students physics in a brilliant, interactive game.

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