Supporting Student Success in Online Courses: Insights from Students and Faculty

Online student on laptop

May 20, 2025 | By Keith Heumiller

Online learning now plays a significant role in many students’ higher education journey. How can instructors help students meet the demands and navigate the unique challenges of learning in a virtual environment?

In April, the Postsecondary Teaching with Technology Collaborative hosted a webinar titled Supporting Student Success in Online Courses: Insights from Students and Faculty, bringing together researchers, faculty, and students to discuss new research into student experiences in online settings and a series of strategies designed to support student motivation, engagement, and success.

The webinar featured presentations from Collaborative researchers Susan Bickerstaff (Community College Research Center), Akilah H. Thompson (Community College Research Center), and Hannah Cheever (SRI Education), followed by a panel discussion featuring biology professor Candace Walker (Palm Beach State College) and Collaborative student fellows Mason Gallagher and Emily Vershay (Wake Technical Community College).

Learning from Student Experiences in Online Courses

A central focus of the webinar was the Collaborative’s latest research brief Beyond Engagement: Promoting Motivation and Learning in Online Courses, which explores how students experience — and respond to – online STEM instruction.

Drawing on interviews and focus groups with students across eight broad-access higher education institutions, the research identifies how course design and instruction can either support or hinder students’ development of self-directed learning (SDL) skills.

Brief co-authors Bickerstaff and Thompson said that students described a wide range of experiences navigating asynchronous online courses, many of which placed substantial demands on their ability to stay motivated, manage time, and find help when they needed it. Thompson highlighted the importance of examining what supports students already bring to their learning and how faculty can build on those strengths.

“We found that students often rely on community, family, and prior experiences to persist in online courses,” Thompson said. “Instructors can help by creating spaces for students to reflect on those sources of motivation and apply them to their current learning.”

Bickerstaff emphasized the importance of connecting research insights to classroom practice.

“Our goal is not just to understand what students are experiencing, but to translate that knowledge into practical, actionable strategies for faculty,” she said. “When we listen to students, we learn how small changes in design and communication can make a big difference.”

Key findings from the brief include:

  • Interactions matter
    Regular communication from instructors and frequent and meaningful engagement with peers — whether through announcements, discussion board replies, or feedback — helps students feel connected and motivated.
  • Help-seeking is shaped by course culture
    Students were more likely to ask for help when instructors were approachable and actively encouraged questions.
  • Course structure can support metacognition
    Students reported struggling when course materials were unclear or poorly organized. On the other hand, scaffolding such as pacing guides and clear workflows helped them stay on track.
  • Students want guidance on how to learn
    Many students asked for more support in understanding how to approach readings, videos, and assignments – especially in content-heavy STEM courses.

Implementing Practical Strategies to Support Student Success

Cheever then introduced a set of instructional strategies designed to support students’ self-directed learning skills. The strategies have been co-developed and tested at the Collaborative’s partner colleges and universities across the country. They are based on an evidence-based framework centered on three core processes: motivation (“I can”), metacognition (“I plan”), and applied learning (“I do”).

The instructional strategies include:

Strategy Description Process
Student-Peer Interaction and Networking (SPIN) Create structured opportunities for students to collaborate and build community in online spaces Motivation (“I Can”)
Reflective and Planning Prompts Help students track their progress, anticipate challenges, and reflect on learning outcomes Metacognition (“I Plan”)
Short Instructional Videos Help students build connections among peers, plan study time, and foster a growth mindset. Motivation (“I Can”) and Applied Learning (“I Do”)

“We focused on micro-learning: short, accessible activities that can weave into the flow of a course without adding heavy burdens on students or instructors,” said Cheever.

Cheever said that instructors who tested these strategies have appreciated their adaptability to different course formats as well as their impact on student behavior. Whether implemented in a four-week accelerated course or a full-term class, she explained, the strategies can help normalize help-seeking, foster connection, and reinforce academic planning behaviors.

Insights from Faculty and Student Voices

The webinar concluded with a panel discussion featuring Walker and Collaborative student fellows Gallagher and Vershay. Each panelist offered a unique perspective on the student and faculty experience in online courses. Walker, who has incorporated and tailored the Collaborative’s strategies across both online and in-person courses at Palm Beach State College, emphasized the value of structure and consistency in helping students plan and succeed.

“What I’ve learned is that students can rise to the challenge when you give them a clear path and let them know you’re there to support them,” Walker shared. “They want to do well, but they need to know what’s expected and feel like someone’s rooting for them.”

Gallagher noted that peer interaction is often lacking in online environments, suggesting that instructors create informal structures that allow students to connect around shared academic goals.

“One issue with online classes is that discussion boards can feel impersonal,” he said. “Giving students the infrastructure to connect authentically can make a real difference.”

Vershay reflected on the importance of instructor approachability and encouragement.

“When instructors show they’re open and available, it changes everything,” she shared. “It makes it easier to ask for help, stay engaged, and feel like you’re part of a real learning experience.”

Looking Ahead: Resources and Continued Collaboration

The Collaborative is continuing to refine and expand these strategies based on feedback from a 2025 pilot study across five institutions to create an Instructional Model for Self-Directed Learning.

In addition to releasing updated faculty-facing materials, the team is also developing tools for instructional designers, academic support staff, and institutional leaders to support faculty in implementing the model, individually and at scale across their departments and institutions.

To access the resources featured in the webinar:

Interested in learning more?

For more information, contact us at PostsecCollab@sri.com, follow us on Twitter at @PostsecCollab, and sign up for our newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/Postsecnewsletter

Tags: Instructional Strategies Online Learning Self-directed Learning