A survey conducted by The Boedeker Group in the fall of 2023 has resulted in a new white paper, "The State of Experiential Learning and Higher Education 2024: How Virtual Work-Integrated Learning Can Help Educators Overcome Today’s Instructional Challenges."

This white paper delves into the evolving educational landscape, providing valuable insights and practical solutions for universities and colleges. The findings from The Boedeker Group's research highlight three major instructional challenges faced by educators today:

1. Student Motivation and Engagement: Post-pandemic, many students remain disengaged and struggle to find relevance in their coursework. Traditional teaching methods, such as lectures and readings, often fail to captivate today’s digitally connected students. The report highlights the necessity of integrating career-relevant learning opportunities to spark motivation and maintain engagement.
2. Creating and Sourcing Meaningful Instructional Content: Educators face formidable challenges in creating and maintaining engaging, up-to-date instructional content. Developing curricula that are both deep and broad while also incorporating real-world applications requires significant resources and effort. The challenge is compounded by the rapid pace of change in fields like business, marketing, and communication.
3. Instructor Administrative Burdens: Administrative tasks, particularly manual grading, pose a significant burden for instructors. This is especially true for those handling large class sizes. The time spent on these tasks detracts from other essential activities such as research, student mentorship, and course development. The report underscores the need for solutions that alleviate these burdens through automation and efficient resource management.

The white paper explores these three challenges and how they demonstrate the pressing need for career-relevant, work-integrated learning experiences in higher education. It also highlights how Stukent® provides solutions to these challenges. 

By linking academic content with professional applications, Stukent Simternships™ boost student engagement and motivation. Simternships provide a safe, controlled environment for students to practice and apply their knowledge, building critical competencies and confidence without real-world consequences.

Stukent’s E3 Learning Model and comprehensive courseware offer turnkey, easy-to-implement solutions, allowing educators to concentrate on teaching. Additionally, features like auto-graded components and LMS integration alleviate administrative tasks, freeing up instructors' time to focus on improving student outcomes. 

Here are some of the other key findings and facts from The Boedeker Group report highlighted in the white paper:

• The Boedeker Group surveyed 82 instructors at 77 institutions to better understand how edtech can support instructors in attracting, retaining, and engaging students.
• 93% of participants had a positive or very positive experience with Stukent Simternships and courseware.
• 99% of professors ranked Stukent’s materials as equal to or better than their current course materials.

To see the full white paper, click here: The State of Experiential Learning and Higher Education 2024