During the pandemic, schools from elementary to college took classes online by necessity. But 5 years later, a number of college students are still taking at least some of their classes remotely, even when they have an in-person choice. Online learning can take many forms, and include both synchronous and asynchronous formats. Some Oregon universities offer some degrees entirely online. At community colleges around the country, more than 40% of classes are offered online.

We talk with students and professors at two different Oregon universities about why online classes are still popular and the role they play in the overall educational system.

Audrey Carlson attends Portland State University, and Kayla Ramirez is student body president at Oregon State University. Sebastian Heiduschke is a professor of German at OSU, and Bill Knight represents the faculty union at PSU, where he is a professor of English.