Higher education in the U.S. has been undergoing a digital transformation for over a decade. During this time, institutions have increased the proportions of their instruction delivered in online and blended formats. They have also made greater use of digital technologies in the classroom and increased the adoption of digital materials, replacing…

The year 2020 was likely one of the most challenging ever for the higher education sector. The pandemic forced massive short-term, and both faculty and administrators needed to adjust to new ways of conducting their day-to-day operations. This project provides a series of three snapshots examining the nature and magnitude of these changes in…

For years, there has been a sense of confusion and contention about the meanings of key terms such as online learning and hybrid learning. Additionally, there has been a lack of consensus on how to name different variations of online and hybrid learning (e.g., hyflex learning, synchronous online and hybrid elements, and asynchronous online and…

This study explores how faculty members select and use the educational materials employed in their courses. The primary sample represents all teaching faculty across all types of degree-granting higher education institution in the United States. Two subgroups of faculty are called out for detailed examination: those teaching large-enrollment…

This study is one of a series using consistent definitions of key concepts to support analysis of changes over time. The studies are designed to explore the process by which faculty members select and use the educational materials that they employ in their courses. The most common of these is the required textbook: faculty members typically select…

The adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) is on the rise, driven in part by increasing awareness of OER. But while faculty and institutions have shown increasing awareness and acceptance of OER, many remain unfamiliar with what they are, or how to utilize them. When faculty are aware of OER initiatives at their institution, there is an…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound and rapid impact on higher education institutions across the world. In this study, we report the findings of a survey investigating the rapid transition to emergency remote teaching in the early weeks of the pandemic at public and private postsecondary institutions in the United States. Participants…

This is the thirteenth annual report on the state of online learning in U.S. higher education. The survey is designed, administered and analyzed by the Babson Survey Research Group in partnership with the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), Pearson, WCET, StudyPortals, and Tyton Partners, with additional data from the National Center for Education…

The objective of this study is to better understand the process by which faculty members select the educational materials that they employ in their courses. The educational resource that people are most familiar with is the required textbook: faculty members select one or more books that all students are required to use through the duration of the…

This report focuses on online courses and programs offered as a normal part of an institution's programs, as well as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) typically offered for free to those outside of the institution's student body. An online course is defined as one in which at least 80 percent of the course content is delivered online.…

This study is designed to explore the process by which faculty members select the educational materials that they employ in their courses. The most common of these is the required textbook--faculty members typically select one or more books that all students are required to use through the duration of the course. Faculty also employ a wide range…

Awareness and adoption of open educational resources (OER) has yet to enter the mainstream of higher education. Most faculty remain unaware of OER, and OER is not a driving force for faculty decisions about which educational materials to adopt. This report builds on several previous Babson Survey Research Group efforts exploring the role of OER in…

Faculty are big users of and believers in social media. Virtually all higher education teaching faculty are aware of the major social media sites; more than three-quarters visited a social media site within the past month for their personal use; and nearly one-half posted content. Even more impressive is their rate of adoption of social media in…