Online Course Student survey about workload

Create expert-level survey by chatting with AI.

If you want a smart, accurate Online Course Student workload survey, you can generate it with AI right now on this page in seconds, for free. Specific lets you focus on asking better questions instead of fighting clunky survey tools—just hit the button and go.

Why running Online Course Student workload surveys matters

Gathering honest feedback from your online course students about workload is crucial. If you’re not running these surveys, you’re really missing out on insights that help you design better courses, reduce dropout, and support your learners. Let’s break down why it’s so valuable:

  • Workload balance impacts completion rates: A study found online nursing students exceeded workload expectations by 6 to 24 hours per week, which can overwhelm learners and deter them from finishing courses [1].

  • Productivity and outcomes improve with feedback: Online students who have a voice in workload structuring report up to 25–60% higher retention and greater satisfaction [2].

  • Missed opportunity: If you’re not checking in about workload, you might overlook that 44% of online learners struggle with time management [3]. That’s almost half of your audience who could be at risk if you’re out of touch.

  • Actionable feedback fuels better iterations: The most successful course creators use honest feedback to spot issues early—before they turn into negative reviews or high churn.

Surveys about workload also unlock benefits when you act on what you learn: you shape a better learner experience, spot bottlenecks, and even improve how your content is delivered. The importance of Online Course Student feedback is massive, and the sooner you start, the faster you realize these gains. For more about effective questions to ask, check out our guidance on best questions for Online Course Student workload surveys.

Why use an AI survey generator for Online Course Student workload?

We built Specific’s AI survey generator to save time and boost survey quality. Manual survey creation is slow, repetitive, and often results in dry, generic questions. AI-generated surveys, on the other hand, pull from best practices and real-world experience, ensuring the survey truly suits Online Course Students. Here’s a quick comparison:

Manual surveys

AI survey generator

Time-consuming setup

Survey created in seconds

Easy to overlook follow-ups or context

Smart follow-up questions, tailored to answers

Potential bias or leading wording

Expert phrasing and diversity in question types

Static, uninspired design

Conversational, engaging experience

Why use AI for Online Course Student surveys?

  • It’s a mental offload: no more writer’s block or survey fatigue.

  • AI taps into research-backed templates for deeper, more honest answers.

  • You get a conversational format that students actually enjoy responding to—which ups your response rates.

We designed Specific to give survey creators and students an intuitive, best-in-class experience. With our conversational surveys, feedback feels like a chat, not a chore. If you want to see how easy this can be, our AI survey editor is always just a click away.

Designing questions that drive real insight

The right questions mean everything. You’ve probably seen vague, unhelpful survey items like:

  • Bad: “Was the course workload fine?”

  • Good: “On average, how many hours per week did you spend on coursework, and what tasks took up the most time?”

Specific uses AI to reword clunky, biased, or overly broad questions so you get useful, honest answers. For example, vague asks can mask real pain points: one Online Course Student might answer “It was hard” to a bad question—leaving you wondering: hard because of the number of assignments, lack of guidance, or something else?

Our AI survey builder focuses on clarity, specificity, and actionable feedback, avoiding questions that could be misunderstood. Here’s a quick mini-guideline you can use right now:

  • Stick to open questions for context: “Describe the challenges you faced managing coursework with other responsibilities.”

  • Add context: “If you found the workload heavy, what changes would help?”

  • Avoid yes/no where possible—ask for examples or reasons.

Looking for a deeper dive? See our breakdown of what makes a great Online Course Student workload survey question.

Automatic follow-up questions based on previous reply

One of the stand-out features of Specific’s survey generator is its automatic, context-aware follow-up questions. If a student leaves a reply that’s vague, the AI can immediately—and intelligently—probe for details in real time. This conversational survey approach means you get to the root of issues fast, without needing to chase respondents via email or let valuable input slip through the cracks.

  • Online Course Student: "The workload was too high."

  • AI follow-up: "Can you share which assignments or weeks felt most overwhelming, and why?"

  • Online Course Student: "I managed, but it was tough."

  • AI follow-up: "What factors made it tough—was it the time required, unclear guidelines, or something else?"

Without these smart follow-ups, you often get one-liner responses that don’t help you improve—or force you to sift through hundreds of replies, hoping for gold. Try generating a survey here and see how this works in practice; it can be a game changer for getting unique, actionable feedback from just a single response. For more examples and details, check how our AI-driven followup questions feature works.

Followups make the survey a conversation, so it’s genuinely a conversational survey.

How to deliver your Online Course Student workload survey

You have two effective ways to bring surveys to your students:

  • Sharable landing page surveys: Perfect for emailing students, sharing in course announcements, or linking in your LMS. You send a single link, and students can complete the survey on any device. For example, after an intensive module, you can send a workload check-in to see how students are holding up.

  • In-product surveys: Embed the survey right inside your learning platform or course website, so students give feedback in context, right after turning in an assignment or at the end of the semester. This is ideal for catching feedback while experiences are still fresh—especially valuable for ongoing or self-paced online courses focused on workload.

When it comes to workload, both delivery methods work well. Sharable links let you target broad cohorts or alumni, while in-product surveys capture the moment-to-moment realities of active students. Choose what fits your course workflow best, or even combine both for wider, richer data.

If you want a step-by-step walk-through, learn more in our article on how to create an Online Course Student workload survey using AI.

AI-powered survey analysis—insights in seconds

After the responses roll in, Specific’s AI-powered survey analysis turns hours of manual work into seconds. It summarizes replies, detects common themes (like time management challenges or assignment bottlenecks), and even lets you chat with AI about the results, just like you would with ChatGPT. No more spreadsheets or copy-pasting. Learn more about AI survey response analysis or see our hands-on guide to how to analyze Online Course Student workload survey responses with AI.

Create your Workload survey now

Turn your questions into a smart Online Course Student workload survey in seconds—generate it with AI right here and start collecting meaningful feedback instantly.

Try it out. It's fun!

Sources

  1. Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Workload in online nursing education: A review of the literature

  2. Zipdo.co. Online Learning Statistics: 2023 Data on eLearning Trends, Growth & Challenges

  3. Gitnux.org. Online Learning Statistics 2023: eLearning Growth & Engagement Trends

Adam Sabla - Image Avatar

Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.

Adam Sabla

Adam Sabla is an entrepreneur with experience building startups that serve over 1M customers, including Disney, Netflix, and BBC, with a strong passion for automation.