What’s Working, What’s Next in Higher Education Teaching

Today’s educators face a complex set of challenges, from fostering student engagement in a digital age to addressing widening knowledge gaps. To better understand these challenges, DigitalEd surveyed 350+ educators globally for our 2025 Higher Ed Trends Report. The findings illuminate the key issues facing faculty and institutions, providing valuable insights for navigating the future of higher education.

The Challenge: Engaging and Effective Higher Education Teaching Materials

Educators face the ongoing challenge of developing high-quality, engaging learning resources while managing demanding workloads.

• The Curator (50%): Most educators use a combination of resources (textbooks, online content, personal creations) to build lessons, highlighting the need for flexible, adaptable materials.
• The Assessment Strategist (35%): With exams and quizzes being the predominant evaluation method, there’s a clear need for teaching materials and digital tools. These should seamlessly align with assessment strategies, providing comprehensive support for both instruction and evaluation.
• The DIY Expert (26%): Many faculty develop their own resources, underscoring both their dedication to the craft and the potential for greater collaboration and shared resources.

The Challenge: Adapting Higher Ed Teaching Methodologies to Meet Evolving Student Needs

Educators face the ongoing challenge of engaging students with diverse learning styles and expectations.

• The Collaborative Catalyst (24%): Active learning (group work, discussions) is a primary strategy for most educators since it emphasizes student interaction.
• The Curator (23%): Lecture-based instruction remains a significant methodology, demonstrating the continued value of direct instruction for delivering core concepts.
• The Experiential Educator (15%): Project-based learning is gaining momentum, reflecting a move toward hands-on experiences.

The Challenge: Managing Increasing Workloads and Evolving Responsibilities in Higher Education Teaching

Educators are juggling increased responsibilities, technological hurdles, and the ongoing need to support student success.

• The Expanded Role: Educators report increased post-pandemic responsibilities   such as student mental health check-ins and administrative tasks.
• Tech Dependent but Frustrated:  While 84% of educators use digital learning tools, some find these platforms limiting and struggle with inadequate training and support. This underscores the urgent need for adaptable technology solutions and robust professional development opportunities.
• The Overwhelmed Advocate: Faculty are open to exploring the  use of  AI to assist with automating  administrative tasks and analyzing student data to identify  areas for improvement. They remain cautious of its implementation with apprehension also around reliability and ethical use.

The Challenge: Strategically Using Digital Tools to Meet Diverse Student Needs

Educators are looking for ways to  leverage technology that addresses the diverse learning needs of today’s students and enhances the overall learning experience.

• LMS as a Leading Factor (64%): Learning Management Systems heavily influence how digital tools are used in higher education teaching. This suggests a need for more flexible and adaptable technology solutions to support educators and students effectively.
• Assessment-Driven: Digital tools are primarily used for grading and assessment, possibly reflecting a need for more streamlined assessment processes.
• Engagement Opportunities: Interactive exercises and collaboration are underutilized, indicating a missed opportunity to leverage technology. This can enhance student engagement and communication.

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