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<p>As online education becomes increasingly prevalent in higher education, understanding the motivational factors that shape students’ enrollment decisions is important. While prior research has explored general decision-making related to enrolling in online courses, little is known about how students perceive and prioritize different types of value, such as attainment, utility, and intrinsic value, alongside perceived cost when selecting online courses. Guided by the Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT), this exploratory study investigates the motivational factors influencing online course enrollment among 82 undergraduate students. Findings reveal nuanced trade-offs students make between perceived benefits and cost, including concerns about time investment, reduced social interaction, and lack of immediate feedback. By examining students’ subjective value perceptions, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of online learning motivations and offers practical implications for designing more engaging, supportive, and effective online learning environments that align with students’ goals and expectations.</p>

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What Matters Most: Understanding Students’ Value Perceptions in Choosing Online Learning

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月14日

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  • Liangke Yang,
  • Jill E. Stefaniak

摘要

As online education becomes increasingly prevalent in higher education, understanding the motivational factors that shape students’ enrollment decisions is important. While prior research has explored general decision-making related to enrolling in online courses, little is known about how students perceive and prioritize different types of value, such as attainment, utility, and intrinsic value, alongside perceived cost when selecting online courses. Guided by the Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT), this exploratory study investigates the motivational factors influencing online course enrollment among 82 undergraduate students. Findings reveal nuanced trade-offs students make between perceived benefits and cost, including concerns about time investment, reduced social interaction, and lack of immediate feedback. By examining students’ subjective value perceptions, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of online learning motivations and offers practical implications for designing more engaging, supportive, and effective online learning environments that align with students’ goals and expectations.