Navigating the Online Learning Landscape: SUNY Online’s 2025 Environmental Scan

As we move further into 2025, online learning continues to evolve—shaped by shifting learner expectations, advances in technology, and increasing demands for flexibility, equity, and workforce relevance. SUNY Online’s latest Environmental Scan offers a wide-lens view of these dynamic forces and outlines how the SUNY system is poised to lead in this critical space.

Why Conduct an Environmental Scan?

In a rapidly changing higher education environment, staying informed isn’t optional—it’s strategic. This scan helps us:

• Identify national trends in online learning

• Understand the evolving needs and expectations of learners

• Align SUNY’s priorities with workforce and economic development goals

• Support campus leaders, faculty, and instructional design teams with actionable insights

Key Findings from the 2025 Scan

1. Learners Expect More Than Flexibility—They Expect Purposeful Design
Today’s learners want online experiences that are not only flexible but engaging, inclusive, and career-aligned. They are looking for programs that offer:

• Clear outcomes tied to employment

• Personalized support and feedback

• Seamless technology and user-friendly design

2. Demand for Non-Degree Credentials Is Growing
Microcredentials, short courses, and stackable pathways are rising in popularity. Learners—especially adult and working learners—seek targeted learning that aligns with job market demands. SUNY campuses are responding with innovative offerings that bridge the gap between education and employment.

3. Online Education Is No Longer a Niche Offering
Online learning is mainstream. Most students now take at least one online course, and fully online programs continue to grow. SUNY’s scale, reach, and diversity uniquely position it to deliver high-quality, accessible online education across disciplines and populations.

4. Equity, Access, and Inclusion Remain Central Challenges
Online education has the potential to reduce barriers—but only if intentionally designed. The scan reinforces the need for equity-minded instructional practices, inclusive course design, and support structures that meet diverse learner needs.

5. Faculty Engagement and Development Are Key Levers
Successful online learning depends on empowered faculty. The scan points to the importance of:

• Ongoing professional development

• Recognition of online teaching excellence

• Peer support and communities of practice

6. Data-Driven Improvement and Innovation Are Imperative
From learner analytics to course design reviews, SUNY Online is focused on using data to inform decisions, improve quality, and scale effective practices.

What This Means for SUNY

SUNY’s system-wide infrastructure—including the OSCQR rubric, shared services, and collaborative networks—offers a powerful foundation for meeting the challenges ahead. But the path forward will require:

• Strategic investments in instructional design and faculty support

• Continued innovation in online program development

• System-wide collaboration around learner success, equity, and workforce alignment

This environmental scan is a call to action: to align our collective efforts, adapt to the needs of our learners, and reaffirm our commitment to high-quality, inclusive online education.

Explore the Full Report

You can access the full SUNY Online 2025 Environmental Scan here. We invite campus leaders, instructional designers, faculty, and stakeholders to review it, reflect on the insights, and join us in shaping the future of online learning across SUNY.