Education Tools Archives

View on-demand<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","post_title":"The Future of Marketing Education: Why Your Students Need Marketing Operations Skills","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"the-future-of-marketing-education-why-your-students-need-marketing-operations-skills","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-09-12 13:32:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-09-12 18:32:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_event&p=201361","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_event","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":208136,"post_author":"129780","post_date":"2025-10-09 09:43:13","post_date_gmt":"2025-10-09 14:43:13","post_content":"\n<p>A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.elfac.org//12-of-european-households-have-3-or-more-children///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent report<\/a> highlighted the dramatic growth of single-child households worldwide, now accounting for nearly half of all families in many developed economies. This shift has far-reaching implications, particularly for education markets, because parents' decisions about spending on education products are closely tied to family size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241306009/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new <em>Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> reveals that parents of single children are more likely to invest in deficit-based education products, such as remedial tutorials aimed at addressing weaknesses. In contrast, parents with multiple children prefer strength-based options like STEM enrichment programs, which focus on growth and development. These choices reflect differences in how family size shapes parenting goals, priorities, and decision-making strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-findings-family-size-and-education-spending\"><strong>Key Findings: Family Size and Education Spending<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Single-Child Parents Favor Deficit-Based Products:<\/strong> Single-child households are more likely to view their child\u2019s weaknesses as critical areas to address, prompting them to invest in solutions like remedial programs or tutoring. This preference stems from a desire to avoid failure or setbacks for their only child, who often carry heightened expectations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multi-Child Parents Prioritize Strength-Based Programs:<\/strong> In families with multiple children, parents focus on building strengths rather than addressing weaknesses. They are more likely to invest in programs that promote future-oriented skills, such as STEM camps or advanced enrichment classes. This approach reflects their broader goals of maximizing opportunities for all children in the family.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Perfectionism Plays a Role:<\/strong> Parents with higher levels of negative perfectionism\u2014who are more focused on avoiding failure\u2014show a stronger preference for deficit-based education products, regardless of family size. Positive perfectionism, on the other hand, aligns more closely with strength-based decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-it-works-the-psychology-behind-the-decisions\"><strong>How It Works: The Psychology Behind the Decisions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Parenting decisions are driven by a combination of psychological, social, and economic factors. Single-child parents often view their child as a singular opportunity, leading to an \u201call-in\u201d approach that prioritizes addressing perceived deficits. These parents are more risk-averse, focusing on loss prevention and ensuring their child does not fall behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, multi-child parents adopt a more balanced perspective. With limited resources spread across multiple children, these parents focus on growth-oriented opportunities that yield long-term benefits for the entire family. Strength-based programs align with this forward-thinking mindset, emphasizing skills that prepare children for future success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Negative perfectionism also amplifies deficit-focused behavior. Parents who fear failure or judgment are more likely to invest in products that promise to \u201cfix\u201d their child\u2019s weaknesses. This dynamic can override typical family size patterns, leading some multi-child parents to prioritize deficit-based options when negative perfectionism is high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-practical-insights-for-education-marketers\"><strong>Practical Insights for Education Marketers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings from this study provide valuable guidance for education providers and marketers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tailor Messaging to Family Size:<\/strong> Education products should be positioned differently depending on the target audience. For single-child parents, messaging should emphasize addressing specific challenges or areas for improvement. For multi-child households, highlighting growth opportunities and future-oriented benefits will resonate more effectively.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recognize the Role of Perfectionism:<\/strong> Marketers can address perfectionism by offering reassurance and framing their products as solutions that reduce stress for parents while supporting their goals. For example, deficit-based products can be positioned as proactive tools for ensuring readiness, while strength-based options can be promoted as ways to unlock potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Segment Products for Diverse Needs:<\/strong> Providers should consider developing distinct offerings tailored to the unique preferences of single- and multi-child families. Bundled programs that cater to multiple children or adaptive solutions that address both weaknesses and strengths can appeal to broader audiences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-implications-for-policymakers-and-educators\"><strong>Implications for Policymakers and Educators<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Policymakers and educators must also consider these insights to ensure equitable access to education resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Support for Single-Child Families:<\/strong> With single-child households becoming more prevalent, education systems should develop programs that address their specific needs, such as targeted tutoring initiatives or tailored support for skill gaps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promote Balance in Education Approaches:<\/strong> Schools and policymakers should encourage families to adopt balanced strategies that focus on both addressing weaknesses and building strengths. Providing clear guidance on the benefits of different education products can help parents make informed decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessibility for Multi-Child Families:<\/strong> Multi-child households may face economic constraints that limit their ability to invest in premium education products. Offering subsidized enrichment programs or scalable solutions can ensure these families have access to growth-oriented opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As single-child households continue to grow in number, their influence on the education market cannot be overlooked. Education providers, marketers, and policymakers must recognize the unique challenges and priorities faced by these families. At the same time, multi-child families remain a significant segment of the market, with distinct preferences that require tailored approaches. By addressing the needs of both groups, stakeholders can create more inclusive and effective education solutions that empower all children to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> Phyllis Xue Wang, Ce Liang, and Qiyuan Wang, \"<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241306009/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fixing Onlies Versus Advancing Multiples: Number of Children and Parents\u2019 Preferences for Educational Products<\/a>,\" <em><em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/em>, 89 (4), 21\u201338.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to the\u00a0<em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<script src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////js.hsforms.net//forms//embed//46387974.js/" defer><\/script>\n<div class=\"hs-form-frame\" data-region=\"na1\" data-form-id=\"5f61a08c-3a0b-4a49-9abc-1787af2d7119\" data-portal-id=\"46387974\"><\/div>\n\n\n","post_title":"How Family Size Shapes Education Spending","post_excerpt":"This Journal of Marketing study shows how the rise of single-child families are affecting education, having implications for marketers, educators, and policymakers.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-family-size-shapes-education-spending","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-10-09 12:38:46","post_modified_gmt":"2025-10-09 17:38:46","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=208136","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":155585,"post_author":"183257","post_date":"2024-04-30 05:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2024-04-30 10:00:00","post_content":"\n<iframe src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////podcasters.spotify.com//pod//show//jm-buzz//embed//episodes//Can-the-On-Demand-Model-Work-for-Online-Educational-Platforms-Like-Coursera-e2pg65m/" height=\"161px\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2011, the online education industry catered to around 300,000 consumers. In 2021, it served 220 million, thanks in part to increased enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional universities and institutions are increasingly adopting hybrid course formats. For example, the number of full-time online MBA students surpassed in-person MBA students for the first time in the 2020-21 academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, online educational platforms like Coursera and edX offer a range of flexible course content, but these firms are faced with a tricky question: Should they release content through a scheduled format that resembles a traditional university course with a subset of lectures and quizzes available at the start of each week, or should they follow in the footsteps of Netflix and Hulu with an on-demand release strategy where all the material is immediately available upon registration?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Exploring this question in a <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241227145/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new <em>Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a>, we find that the choice of format for content release not only impacts overall user engagement and firm revenue but also user performance and learning outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our team studied over 67,000 users taking an introductory marketing course on Coursera consisting of 32 short lecture videos and four quizzes. Our study took advantage of a natural experiment policy change where the platform switched the course from a scheduled format to an on-demand release format while keeping the actual content the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scheduled format closely resembled a traditional university course, with some of the study material available at the beginning of each week for four weeks. Under the on-demand format, all four weeks of content was made available upon registration. All users could take the course for free or opt into paying for a completion certificate, as a one-time fee in the scheduled format and a monthly subscription in the on-demand format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-users-less-engagement\">More Users, Less Engagement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our findings show that the switch to on-demand content doubled the percentage of paying users from 14% to 28%. Thus, the on-demand format was successful in increasing short-term firm revenue by bringing in more paying users. On the downside, the switch resulted in significantly lower lecture completion rates (three fewer lectures on average) and lower quiz performance (10% lower scores).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The on-demand format also negatively impacted downstream platform engagement. The marketing course was promoted in a \u201cBusiness Foundations\u201d set with three other courses on operations, accounting, and finance. Compared to users in the scheduled format, those in the on-demand format ended up taking one or two fewer additional courses six months after the focal marketing course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our analysis of user activity reveals two new learning patterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First, a subset (13%) of users in the on-demand format continued to return and take quizzes well beyond the recommended 4-week course period. The greater flexibility in the on-demand content release and payment structure likely enabled these users to \u201cstretch out\u201d their consumption.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Second, the on-demand format increased the practice of binging, with user activity being clumped together (i.e., more binging) as compared to being evenly spaced out (i.e., less binging). In the scheduled format, binging was negatively related to course performance, which is consistent with the intuition that binging reflects procrastination or cramming. However, in the on-demand format, binging was positively related to performance, suggesting that on-demand users may binge as a form of strategic time management by setting aside time to consume in spurts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-real-world-implications\"><strong>Real-World Implications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our study offers vital lessons for chief marketing officers in the online education space:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The switch to the on-demand format attracted a set of users who were more likely to pay but were less engaged in the course. Our results show that on-demand content is potentially helpful at bringing in a new user segment or expanding the current user base, similar to universities offering concurrent hybrid MBAs that cater to busy students with full-time jobs. Managers must consider the trade-off between offering structure versus flexibility and may even consider offering different content release options simultaneously, but at different price points by emphasizing their unique features.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Platforms may need to adapt their content to account for users who binge on content and others who space it out over time. For example, firms can include more recaps or reviews to reduce frustration resulting from users forgetting content. It may even be a viable strategy to embrace the prevalence of binging among users by highlighting or designing sets of lectures that are \u201cbingeable\u201d versus more modular.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Many online platforms offer episodic content that may be released in installments and thus need to make decisions regarding the content release format. Our work provides insights that help managers anticipate the potential consequences of such decisions. On-demand content offers clear short-term benefits in terms of increased revenue but potentially long-term costs in terms of decreased engagement and new challenges in maintaining user engagement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>From: <\/strong>Joy Lu, Eric T. Bradlow, and J. Wesley Hutchinson, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241227145/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Likely to Pay but Less Engaged: The Effects of Switching Online Courses from Scheduled to On-Demand Release on User Behavior<\/a>,\u201d<em> <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go to the <em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n","post_title":"Can the On-Demand Model Work for Online Educational Platforms Like Coursera? A New Study Investigates","post_excerpt":"A new Journal of Marketing study suggests that an on-demand model for online learning may bring in more paying users, but those users could also be less engaged in the material.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"can-the-on-demand-model-work-for-online-educational-platforms-like-coursera-a-new-study-investigates","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-10 13:36:51","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-10 18:36:51","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=155585","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]" />

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