Practices of Choosing Online Courses among Youth: An Expert Analysis

The paper examines the specifics of online course selection by Russian youth in the context of the digitalization of education. The study aims to identify the key motives, criteria, and practices that shape young people’s decision to pursue online learning. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the concepts of connectivism (G. Siemens, S. Downes), the theory of rational choice (J. Coleman, G. Becker), considering H. Simon’s concept of bounded rationality and P. Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital. The empirical basis of the research consists of an expert survey conducted in 2026 (N=12). The respondents included university lecturers who also teach on online educational platforms, as well as heads and methodologists working in online schools. The results show that the main motives for young people to enroll in online courses are schedule flexibility, time and cost savings, and geographical accessibility. The key selection criteria are user reviews, course price, and the practical orientation of the course content. Certificates play a moderate motivational role, particularly when they are stackable or issued by a well-known brand. Furthermore, the findings indicate that young people actively combine different formats of learning.