This study examined the differences between online courses and fact-to-face instruction. Personally, I prefer face-to-face instruction because I prefer the interaction amongst class members while in the same classroom and not in a discussion room.
Since I'm a math teacher and I teach Statistics at my high school, the things I found most surprising were in the validity of the statistical tools used to measure their conclusion that online instruction was better than face-to face. The study found that students generally have a postitive attitude toward online learning, that it may also increase learning time, and thus have a positive impact on their overall learning outcomes. However at the end of the article, we learn that particpants were surveyed one year after completing the online prep program. How much can a student accurately recall after a year passes to make a sound decision as to which teaching method they prefer?
Another aspect I found surprising was how researchers boasted how online programs are designed to closely integrate coursework and fieldwork. While this may be true, I went through a face-to-face program that also closely integrated coursework and fieldwork, and I found it to be academically sound and helpful.
Lastly, at the end of the article, it states that the specific features of the online program versus the campus-based program could not be determined. They also didn't conduct statistical analyses to explore the significance of their findings, and without such their findings are suspect.
I don't doubt that some aspects of online learning may be better than campus-based programs, but this articles finding aren't statistically sound and they make a lot of generalizations without sound proof.
I agree with your last statement, I too found that there seems to be some generalizations without the proof. Additionally, I found it interesting that a large part of the online instruction is open to a great deal of interpretation. From the design of the instruction by the teacher(s) or team to the overall interpretation by the student(s). There doesn't seem to be a clear "formula" to designing and implementing distant learning. I appears that we are trying to apply our "traditional" teaching techniques to an "un-traditional" way of teaching.
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