Center for Technology in Learning

This 93-page report prepared for the United States (US) Department of Education studying US online education examines the comparative research on online versus traditional classroom teaching from 1996 to 2008. The document states that online learning is one of the fastest growing tends in education. The pooled analysis found better learning outcomes from a blend of online and face-to-face instruction.

Using more than 1,000 empirical studies, analysts chose those that: (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. Studies included kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) students, college, adult continuing education, and programmes from medical to military training. Over the 12-year span, the report found 99 studies in which there were quantitative comparisons of online and classroom performance for the same courses. The analysis found that:

• Few rigorous research studies of the effectiveness of online learning for K-12 students have been published.
• Students doing some or all of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.
• Instruction combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage relative to purely face-to-face instruction than did purely online instruction.
• Studies in which learners in the online condition spent more time on task than students in the face-to-face condition found a greater benefit for online learning.
• Most of the variations in the way in which different studies implemented online learning did not affect student learning outcomes significantly.
• The effectiveness of online learning approaches appears quite broad across different content and learner types. It is suggested to be effective for undergraduates, graduates, and professionals. However, the effect size was not significant (though positive) for K-12 students.
• Effect sizes were larger for studies in which the online and face-to-face conditions varied in terms of curriculum materials and aspects of instructional approach in addition to the medium of instruction.

Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se, but may result from increased time and varied approaches. However, the study found that online learning can be enhanced by giving learners control of their interactions with media and by prompting learner reflection, increasing self-monitoring of understanding. The study stated that video, online quizzes, and guiding questions for student groups do not contribute to increases in learning.

In conclusion, the study notes that "blended instruction has been more effective, providing a rationale for the effort required to design and implement blended approaches. Even when used by itself, online learning appears to offer a modest advantage over conventional classroom instruction." However, it adds that the effect sizes in the meta-analysis are for undergraduate and older students, not elementary or secondary learners and suggests that online learning practices may have differing effectiveness in K-12 students than for older students, indicating an area in need of further study.

The New York Times Technology website on August 19 2009. Photo source: Noah Berger for The New York Times