Online learning drives summer enrollment growth

Another enrollment record has been set this summer, with 11,942 students attending the summer sessions. That's an increase of 306 students over last summer's previous record. The census day for summer enrollment is the 10th day of the second session, though the count reflects all registration through that day and includes classes that concluded prior to it.

Enrollment is up over last year among undergraduates (an increase of 241), graduates (65) and post docs (5). Enrollment by professional (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) students is down by five students.

The growth is in students learning online. The subset of students enrolled only in online or other distance options increased 431, up to 3,388 students this summer. Students either attending class on campus or enrolled in a combination of on-campus and online courses declined by 125, to 8,554 students.

Across the university, Iowa State offered 41 more online course sections this summer than it did a year ago, with 26 of those in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The LAS growth was intentional, initiated in the dean's office and supported with input from college faculty, academic advisers, department leaders and the student services team in ELO, the joint online learning effort of the LAS and Engineering colleges. ELO program director Mark Woolley said additional summer course sections generally fit one of three strategies:

• Online courses developed to be offered for the first time this summer. Examples include American Sign Language I and II; Elementary Spanish I; and several 200-level courses: Intro to American Government, Religion in America and Intro to World Religions.
• Existing online courses not previously offered in the summer. Examples include Calculus II and Introduction to Statistics.
• Already high-demand courses for which more capacity or sections were added. Examples include Calculus I; Elementary Spanish II; and several 300-level courses: Business Communication, Technical Communication and History of Iowa.

Woolley said the LAS college targeted courses that "would help set up students for fall semester," as well as some that would help ISU students remain Cyclones for summer school instead of enrolling elsewhere.

The LAS college marketed its successful Discover Summer Online program this spring in the Iowa State Daily, on CyRide busses, in social media and an email campaign to academic advisers and students.

Summer enrollment by college