The topic for the April 2025 HigherEdMilitary Careers and Coffee session was online education strategies for military-affiliated students. The U.S. Department of Education data show that adult learners, including those enrolled in graduate degree programs, are increasingly opting for online-based learning opportunities. For example, Fall 2023 data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicate half of undergraduate and graduate students from degree-granting institutions enrolled in an online course. Additionally, 40% of graduate students opted for online-only options.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, military-associated learners enroll in undergraduate and graduate online education at higher rates than non-military learners. During the Careers and Coffee session, there was an exchange of ideas regarding the specific factors that make online education advantageous for the military-associated community. Online education degrees and programs provide military-affiliated learners: (i) course access during deployments and/or other duty assignments requiring time zone changes, (ii) individualized learning schedules, and (iii) options for earning a degree while employed and/or raising children. These factors were grouped into an overall theme - flexibility. The term "flexible" required further exploration. There was an exchange of ideas about the specific factors that make online coursework flexible. The ideas included: (i) reduced time restrictions, (ii) geographic flexibility, (iii) variable study schedule, and (iv) self-paced coursework.

Additional factors may impact online education and include course delivery format, instructor practices, and course design:

Course Delivery Format

An asynchronous course has no required meeting times. Students log into their institution learning management system to access lesson content and complete required assessments. Such a course delivery format provides a flexible education experience for all military-affiliated students, including:

• Deployed servicemembers and their spouses
• Servicemembers with frequent/lengthy TDY assignments and their spouses
• Servicemembers and spouses traveling to a new military installation assignment (PCS)
• Servicemembers and spouses who experience extensive time zone changes
• Servicemembers and spouses with dependents
• Servicemembers and spouses stationed at remote military installations
• Servicemembers and spouses with extensive commute times to nearby higher education institutions
• Servicemembers and spouses with geographic separation

A benefit of the asynchronous delivery format is that learners may continue their education despite differences in time zone/location to those of their course peers and the instructor.

Course Design

Courses may be designed to offer flexible learning experiences for today's adult learners. The Careers and Coffee session featured an overview of the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), also known as The Keller Plan. Psychologist Fred S. Keller's observations of military training were among the many influences on the development of PSI. Over recent years, PSI has been studied for its applicability to various subject areas and delivery formats, including graduate online coursework. A course designed with PSI promotes student independence in the learning process. The primary sources of instruction in PSI courses are written materials (such as textbooks) rather than instructor-based lectures. PSI courses are self-paced, but students must demonstrate mastery of the lesson content to progress through a course. Instructors of PSI courses have the primary role of motivating students. In the Careers and Coffee session, self-paced coursework was identified as a potential benefit for military-affiliated students.

Instructor Practices

Instructors can engage in a variety of practices to support military-affiliated students in their online classrooms. During the session, there was an exchange of ideas regarding instructor support for military-affiliated learners. Attendees expressed instructors need to understand the challenges associated with military life, which include time zone changes and varying weekly schedules. Instructors can engage in practices to support learners during these challenging periods. For example, instructors can set clear expectations and requirements for their online course sections. Military-affiliated learners may experience PCS, TDY, and/or deployment during a course, so instructors can assist learners with regular, predictable assignment scheduling. Instructors can support work-life balance by incorporating the weekends into course scheduling, providing students with additional time to complete assignments.

Conclusion

The overall theme of the Careers and Coffee session was flexibility in online education. It's anticipated that military-affiliated students will continue to enroll in online courses, seeking flexible degrees and programs. Higher education institutions can continue to create flexible learning opportunities by considering the following:

• Instructors can communicate clear online course expectations to their students.
• Advisors can explain the benefits of asynchronous courses to their students.
• Online course designers can consider Keller's Personalized System of Instruction.
• Administrators can seek student feedback concerning online coursework flexibility.

Interested in keeping up with trends and best practices in the military-affiliated higher ed profession? Join us for an upcoming Careers and Coffee session! See which sessions are coming up and register here now.

Article Topics

Military Focused Events Military Friendly Institutions Research on Student Veterans Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success Women Veterans

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