The world population is ageing rapidly in a context of longer life expectancy. As a consequence, it is now commonplace to see people aged 60 and over attending university. Older individuals are a small but growing demographic cohort in higher education (Brownie, 2014). Different reasons motivate them to start or continue their academic training, including socialisation, personal fulfilment, mental stimulation, emotional well-being, and continuous learning (Cachioni et al., 2021; Chu & Tsai, 2009). As older students pursue their studies across different educational modalities, including online (Kara et al., 2019), we explore their experiences in a fully online and asynchronous learning environment.

Topic overview 

Older students in higher education are present across all educational settings, including in-person, distance, and online modalities (Schiller, 2023). Regardless of the context, different pedagogical approaches coexist, including those designed exclusively for older students and the traditional ones where students of all ages learn together. In Europe and other world regions, the Universities of the Third Age movement have become a well-known context where older adults pursue their studies. Other traditional universities also offer programmes designed specifically for older students (Formosa, 2014). All these programmes focus primarily on lifelong learning and personal enrichment (Menéndez et al., 2018). 

However, not all higher education institutions opt for age-specific educational models. Universities based on the open education philosophy, as well as those focused on distance and online learning, typically design their educational offerings universally for all students (Duan, 2025). So, older students who choose to enrol in these educational settings are usually present in the same classrooms and follow the same curriculum as younger students. 

Online learning offers distinct advantages for older students, including the flexibility to study from home at any time and at their own pace, allowing them to balance their studies with personal circumstances (Gaumer & Noonan, 2010). However, the expectations of these learners regarding online higher education may differ from those of younger students in terms of interests and motivation. Although online learning can favour the inclusion of students across all ages, older students may face distinct challenges related to their personal characteristics, external responsibilities, technical and academic difficulties, and programme-specific requirements (Kara et al., 2019). 

Older students are not a homogeneous group, either. While those under 65 may still have professional advancement interests, individuals over 65 are often retired and more focused on intellectual enrichment (Schiller, 2023). As a result, these differences in goals suggest that the challenges students face in online learning may vary by age and are worth examining. Analysing older students' needs and expectations represents a key opportunity for online universities to better align their courses to the needs of this heterogeneous population, creating inclusive learning environments that support their lifelong learning goals.

The study 

This research was conducted at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), an online Spanish university with a fully asynchronous, student-centred educational model that provides students flexibility while offering them spaces for text-based interactivity and collaboration, and personalised feedback. The model’s high degree of flexibility, together with the reduced access requirements, has helped to increase the presence of non-traditional students, such as those over the age of 60.  

This work aims to explore older students’ perceptions of this educational model in terms of their satisfaction with the learning process and their overall evaluation of online learning based on their particular experience. To address this issue, we pose the following research questions:

RQ1 How well does a fully online and asynchronous educational model meet the needs of older students? 

RQ2 How do older students perceive online learning as a means to accomplish their educational and lifelong learning goals?

This study followed an exploratory, qualitative approach, suited to exploring the experiences and perspectives of under-researched populations (Braun & Clarke, 2021), such as those of older students. Data collection was based on the open-ended question drawn from the annual institutional survey on students’ satisfaction with the university and degree programme. The survey covers various dimensions of the student experience, including institutional support, socialisation, and the learning experience itself regarding teaching, resources, and evaluation. We accessed the institutional repositories and selected the open-ended responses from surveys conducted between 2014 and 2024, focusing on students aged 60 and over, yielding a total of 483 comments (25,9% of all survey responses). These sources are often underused and undervalued in qualitative research (O’Cathain & Thomas, 2004), yet they provide data that is just as valuable and potentially rich as the data collected with interviews or focus groups (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The analysis followed the six-step process of reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2020), focusing on its experiential dimension. Initially, the first three authors inductively and independently coded a sample of responses. The authors then discussed the resulting codes, assessing the level of agreement on both the chosen codes and their meanings, resolving differences, and standardising code terminology. Subsequently, they applied these agreed-upon criteria to the remainder of the dataset and recoded the previously analysed responses accordingly. We present the two analytical themes that resulted from the analysis, illustrated below with students' quotations and the related categories of codes. Analytical theme 1. Internal motivation catalyses late-life students' involvement in formal learning Personal agency and growth: “I’m studying for self-improvement after my professional career” Intrinsic motivation Self-development Institutional affordances: “The University’s learning model is a success; it enriches the student and enables society to take advantage of knowledge that would otherwise be lost” Online learning opportunities Enablers of the educational model Lifelong learning: “Studying at my age is a privilege” Gratitude for later-life study Analytical theme 2. Isolated and overlooked: Older students' perceived barriers in online learning Socioemotional barriers: “There are serious deficiencies in everything related to creating a network of people with similar interests” Loneliness Lack of recognition as a group Pedagogical barriers: “I have neither the conditions nor the motivation for activities that entail memorisation” Content not adapted for older students Needs of curricular accommodations Technical barriers: "I've had technological difficulties due to my age. I'm not from the generations that master this" Digital competence

Internal motivation catalyses late-life students' involvement in formal learning. Self-development and personal growth, along with reskilling for those still in the workforce, are the main drivers for pursuing online studies. The flexibility afforded by an online and asynchronous learning model reinforces their intrinsic motivation. These students demonstrate high satisfaction with the university’s educational model, particularly highlighting how constructivist pedagogies and practice-based learning methodologies, together with the development of critical thinking, contribute to achieving their lifelong learning goals. Importantly, older students express gratitude for undertaking their studies at a later stage of life. They perceive this opportunity as a way to break down barriers for older people to access higher education, with some of them characterising it as a privilege. However, this educational model also presents challenges for older students. The lack of on-demand classes and limited opportunities for peer engagement are the primary concerns, often leading to feelings of isolation and disconnection. Many comments emphasised the need to increase both social interaction and teacher presence, particularly the latter through masterclasses or video-based explanations. This need is linked to students' perception that the study content is complex and not fully adapted to their cognitive profiles. Difficulties with digital competency are also an important barrier for older students, especially when navigating the virtual campus and accessing learning resources or discussion spaces. They advocate for curricular accommodations and greater awareness and recognition of their collective needs. Our findings highlight the dual nature of online higher education for non-traditional students. While these environments facilitate access for older students, challenges remain in meeting their distinct needs. Online universities should leverage the inherent flexibility of their educational model to strengthen the inclusion of all students by providing robust scaffolding and designing courses that promote social interaction and teacher presence.

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