In this 2020 study, Johnson, Veletsianos, and Seaman explored the immediate reactions and adaptive strategies faculty and administrators utilized during the initial transition to remote learning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on survey responses from over 800 participants, the authors examine the challenges institutions faced, including limited technological preparedness, pedagogical concerns, and increased emotional strain. Despite the abrupt shift, the findings highlight early signs of institutional resilience and a willingness among educators to reimagine teaching and learning in a digital environment.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education to shift from in person to online learning overnight. This study provides a glimpse into how both faculty and leadership scrambled, adapted, and ultimately survived the pivot.

This article reports on findings from the 2023 CHLOE (Changing Landscape of Online Education) survey, which captures evolving faculty preferences regarding instructional modalities. While a slight majority of faculty still favor in-person teaching, the margin has narrowed significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article underscores a growing openness to hybrid and online formats, with increased recognition of their flexibility and accessibility benefits. It also highlights faculty concerns about workload, engagement, and institutional support, offering insight into the complex attitudes shaping the future of digital instruction.

The dust settled—and faculty didn’t sprint back to in-person. This report shows just how much the pandemic reshaped what teaching can (and should) look like.

This peer-reviewed study explores the relationship between college students' mental health and their academic performance and engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Dual-Continua Model of mental health, the researchers distinguish between psychological distress and subjective well-being, revealing that students with higher levels of well-being demonstrated stronger academic performance and class participation, regardless of their level of distress. The study suggests that promoting well-being, rather than solely treating symptoms of distress, is critical to supporting student success in remote and asynchronous learning environments.

Lu, Zhu, & Liu (2024) examine the role of emotional engagement in mediating test anxiety among college students enrolled in asynchronous online courses. Through survey data from 400+ students, the authors find that emotional engagement significantly impacts the relationship between academic pressure and anxiety levels, suggesting that students who feel emotionally connected to course material are less likely to experience debilitating stress. The findings emphasize the need for instructional design that fosters not only cognitive engagement but also emotional connection in remote learning environments.

This semester, I am taking a course called "Technology for Higher Education Leaders," and I have been tasked to complete an annotated bibliography assignment, but with a twist!

This curatorial board traces the digital shift higher education has experienced since COVID-19, from the chaotic onset of emergency remote teaching to today’s more settled (but still evolving) world of asynchronous programs, AI-driven tools, and digital mental health support.

As an asynchronous graduate student myself, I’ve experienced both the flexibility and strain of online learning. That’s why I wanted to explore how higher ed leaders are navigating the intersection of technology, student wellness, and the law. Each source in this collection highlights a different part of that story, whether it’s how faculty adapted, how students coped, or how new tech tools are shaping policies and support systems.

Take your time scrolling through and watch how the story unfolds!

-Madison

This infographic offers a practical visual guide for how schools can support student mental health in remote learning contexts. It suggests actionable strategies such as encouraging daily routines, facilitating virtual check-ins, promoting healthy screen habits, and providing coping tools through digital platforms. While not scholarly in nature, the infographic translates well-researched mental health practices into visually engaging, accessible content that can easily be shared with students and staff. Its approachable format makes it a valuable supplement to more formal institutional wellness efforts.

It also sets the stage for what comes next: a deeper look at how AI is stepping into the mental health space.

In this recently published study, Deep & Chen (2025) synthesize evidence on student burnout and fatigue experienced during the pandemic-driven shift to online learning. The authors analyze nearly 40 studies, revealing a widespread increase in student stress, disengagement, and wellness challenges. Significantly, the paper highlights how higher education institutions began deploying AI interventions (e.g., campus chatbots, digital wellness apps, and adaptive tutoring systems) to alleviate pressure and extend support at scale.

The analysis emphasizes that while AI offers promising solutions, successful implementation depends on robust institutional policies, training, and governance to ensure ethical and effective use. This paper connects the burnout from our earlier sources to the AI future we're about to explore.

This recorded panel discussion convenes higher education leaders, policymakers, and AI ethicists to address the multifaceted implications of deploying artificial intelligence on campuses. Topics include AI-driven academic integrity solutions, student data privacy, equitable access, and the need for clear governance frameworks. Each speaker shares institution-level challenges and successes, highlighting strategies for crafting ethical AI policies that balance innovation with accountability.

The dialogue illustrates how AI in higher ed is not just a technological shift but also a leadership, legal, and cultural transformation. Campus leaders and experts must hash out what it means to do AI right, from ethics to equity to data privacy, as remote learning evolves into smart learning.

This comparative content analysis investigates how news outlets in China and Western countries portray AI privacy concerns in higher education. Reviewing media coverage from 2019 to 2024, the study finds stark contrasts in narrative emphasis: Western articles tend to stress individual rights, data transparency, and ethical risks, while Chinese coverage focuses on policy alignment, national innovation, and institutional implementation.

The authors argue that such framing influences public perception and policy momentum, underscoring the need for culturally aware governance strategies when introducing AI technologies on college campuses.

Turns out, not everyone sees AI the same way. This global study shows how the media shapes what we fear—and accept—when it comes to AI on campus.

This audio podcast episode explores strategic initiatives aimed at embedding comprehensive mental health support within higher education institutions. Hosted by EDUCAUSE’s Sophie White and Jenay Robert, the episode features experts from The Hope Center and Healthy Minds Network discussing the development of a "culture of care" that integrates digital tools, faculty and staff training, and systemic policies. Emphasis is placed on scalability, equity, and sustainability, as well as how technology can support—but not supplant—personalized, empathetic student engagement.

The episode offers practical examples and key leadership takeaways for implementing holistic mental health frameworks in diverse higher education environments.

From the chaos of COVID-19 to the rise of AI, this journey through remote learning reveals more than just a tech transformation—it highlights a shift in values. Faculty adapted, students struggled and thrived, and institutions began reimagining what it means to truly support well-being in digital spaces. As an online graduate student myself, I’ve felt the weight of these changes firsthand. This collection reflects not only where higher ed has been, but where it must go: toward leadership that’s innovative, ethical, and most importantly, human.