Using technology in business education

Abstract

Online education, hybrid courses, and other types of distance learning opportunities continue to revolutionize and change how institutions, faculty, and learners approach and evaluate higher education options. While the technological options, including the proliferation of social media tools, can appear to be overwhelming at first, the method is less important than the information distributed via online platforms. Appealing both to current students, especially millennials and Gen-Z individuals, and adult learners that are returning to college while also working, online options provide both challenges and opportunities. Colleges and universities, from administrators, to faculty, to staff must be aware of both the options for higher education platforms and how to construct appropriate content. The decisions made surrounding course engagement, course content, communicating and interacting with students, and building an inclusive environment are essential to the successful implementation of online courses and program. In a continuously changing environment such as online learning and education, a logical approach, instead of attempting to construct a permanent solution from the beginning, is to take into account the various factors and forces that can harnessed to drive positive change. This piece reviews current research, discusses implications for members of the higher education community, and outlines a checklist for practices and ideas to take into account as online learning continues to drive innovation.