Why students choose online or on-campus participation in hybrid classes

Updated Sep 07, 2026

Choosing to join a hybrid class online can reflect circumstances as well as preferences. Lisa Breitschwerdt, Christina Hümmer and Regina Egetenmeyer examine students’ reasons for choosing online or on-site participation.

What the research covers

The study analysed questionnaires from 73 master’s students across nine education seminars at the University of Würzburg, Germany, over three semesters, alongside group and individual interviews. Students could generally choose their participation mode.

The qualitative analysis identified three areas: fit with life circumstances, learning preferences and interaction preferences. Travel, caring responsibilities and health could make online access valuable. Students also considered concentration, self-organisation and the opportunity to interact with peers.

On-site participation was often associated with stronger social presence, although some students valued being actively included online. The study does not rank these reasons through comparative effect sizes. Its education-seminar setting, substantial technical provision and possible social desirability bias limit generalisation.

A useful question for hybrid teaching

As an editorial suggestion, ask students what made each mode workable or difficult. Record whether their choice was freely preferred or constrained by travel, timetable or access needs.

Review interaction from both locations, including whether remote participants can hear, contribute and join group tasks. Treat proposed improvements as changes to evaluate locally. Attendance mode alone is insufficient to infer a student’s engagement or satisfaction.

Reference

Lisa Breitschwerdt, Christina Hümmer and Regina Egetenmeyer. “Online and on-site participation in synchronous hybrid settings: reasons from the perspective of higher education students.” Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-025-01487-z.

Reviewed 7 September 2026 against the full paper. This revision removes an unsupported ranking of participation drivers and clarifies the study setting and limits.