How Help Desk Can Build Equity and Access for Your Adult and Online Learners

Online learning is the lifeline for many working adults. A report from Georgetown University cited that 40% of undergrad students are also working 30+ hours a week. The flexibility of online learning is enabling online and adult learners to NOT have to pick work or studies, but instead, allowing both to be areas of focus. That’s the good news for learners.  The bad news is what happens when one of these learners has a technical issue with their course. Given that these students are working, they may not be logging into courses until after traditional work hours.  Even though online learning has been around for quite some time, it really expanded when the pandemic hit. Almost universally, institutions' focus went immediately to getting their courses up and saving their enrollments.  Two years later, there is still a big piece of the puzzle that many are ignoring. It’s the piece that directly supports their online learners and that is a 24x7 help desk.  Not one that just provides access to online help materials but one that give access to a live support agent.