The Interfolio Blog

In one of our recent Interfolio blog posts, we discussed ways to improve online education in order to position this mode of teaching on par with in-class learning. Interestingly, Inside Higher Ed posted an article last week detailing the results of a study by the U.S. Department of Education, which shows that in some ways, online education has benefits that traditional classrooms lack. The intriguing part of this continuing research, and the resulting conversations that compare in-class and online learning, is that technology and the way it is used in course instruction is at the forefront of this debate. Yet this new report argues that while technology is certainly key, "time spent" is introduced as a major influence. 

This research shows that simply providing technology, for example through videos or online quizzes, does not significantly enhance learning. Technology of this kind can be used in similar ways for the in-class and online experience, thereby making the difference between the two minor. Therefore, instead of focusing on technology as the only reason online learning has been successful, the research indicates that time is the primary factor because the study showed that students in the online community tended to spend more time on a task than those instructed in person.

Interestingly, this means that online students are engaging more with the course material rather than limiting the time spent on a subject to the allotted class period, evidence which supports not only a continued movement toward online class offerings, but also an increased inclusion of online technologies and learning management systems in in-person classroom settings. Use of technologies that encourage a continued interaction with course materials outside of set class time increases critical thinking and interaction with subject matter, and results in a more successful learning environment.

Neither this new study nor the Insider Higher Ed article argue that one mode of teaching is better than the other, but the research does give more credibility to online education. While online learning does still have areas of weakness as we discussed last week, there are areas where it is improving and seeing increased success rates. This study reveals that online education enables students to learn more, and at their own pace. Learning is not confined to the classroom and time spent can be expanded or shortened depending on the students' needs. As the debate between online and in-class learning continues, perhaps we will simply come to see that preference will play more of a role in which type of learning people participate in. In addition, we expect to see some changes in online learning due to Obama's new plan to create free online courses through programs at community colleges and high schools. In any case, online learning continues to be a major topic of debate, and we look forward to seeing how this trend manifests itself over the next few years.