New Ways of Learning

Service Design

Customer Experience

A project sought to uncover the barriers and disadvantages to online learning for international students

The project set out objectives to: Validate prospective students' perceptions of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, understand the experiences of current students transitioning to online learning (including its advantages and barriers), and validate the opinions of alumni regarding online learning in the COVID-19 context.

Primary and secondary research was conducted including a review of industry reports and academic papers, review of existing RMIT research in the topic areas, synthesis of current knowledge, contextual interviews with students, external agents and academics, and design and roll-out of an online questionnaire targeted to current and alumni international student segments.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the higher education sector in a profound way

Government restrictions to combat health risks disrupted campus operations, international travel, recruitment strategies, and traditional educational delivery. This impacted student experiences, including accommodation, employment, visas, and community building. Universities have shifted to online classes, facing challenges in recruitment, communication, and retention, altering perceptions of value and expectations.

A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches were required

In order to understand how international students perceive the online experience, RMIT prospective students, current students and alumni were used as participants.

Findings of the study were organised into an inventory

A total of 20 categories were developed from this organisation and later those categories were grouped into themes and sub-themes. The three themes include: The Product Promise, The Product Delivery, and The Product Experience

A set of 21 recommendations were developed and organised into three themes:

The Flexible Promise

What drives students to choose a country, a university and a program of study, and what they expect as part of the package offer. This theme includes topics of application, package, calendars, delivery, learning, and experience.

The Digital Delivery

How students prefer their package to be delivered and any additional proposition. This theme includes topics of orientation, learning and teaching, softwares and tools, social experience, global network, placements, employment programs, wellbeing, and community

The New Experience

How students experience the purchased package and additional challenges and wins they find once the experience becomes a reality. This theme includes topics of revised student journey, media considerations, isolation, immigration, communicating ‘the new promise’ and communicating ‘the new experience’

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