How Does Online Class Affect Students' Learning?

How does online class affect students’ learning? In recent years, per-student education funding has fallen dramatically, leading many colleges to adopt online classes as a way of reaching more students within a tighter budget. Online classes also allowed schools to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is still much doubt over whether online instruction is as effective as in-classroom learning. One study, published in the Journal of Labor Economics, attempted to measure the effects of online learning by randomly assigning students into two different groups. Both groups would take the same introductory microeconomics class, but one would take the class online and one would take the class in-person. The study found that students in the online class had slightly lower test scores than the students in the in-person class. The study found that the benefit of in class instruction was stronger for Hispanic students, male students, and students who struggled with the material. It is important that the study is randomized, because some types of students may naturally be more suited to online or offline classes. If the students who prefer online classes are all allowed to choose the online option, the data will be biased. Another study, discussed in an article written in the magazine EducationWeek, came to a similar conclusion. It found that, on average, high school students perform worse in online classes than in in-person classes. It claims that this is because of the greater amount of distractions and less supervision from teachers, which makes students less motivated. Moreover, the article claims that students who struggle in in-person school will struggle more in online school. However, the article also finds some benefits in online education. It claims that online class during the COVID-19 pandemic is much better than no class at all, and that online learning can help people who otherwise would not have access to education. In conclusion, I think online classes should only be used when they are necessary. Online lectures can be more difficult for students to understand than in-person lectures, and students may have more trouble asking their teachers questions if they need help. However, some students are unable to perform as well in-person as they do online. For example, some students may have full-time jobs, which would exclude them from being able to attend live lectures. Some students may have learning disabilities, so it is good for them to be able to go back and review recorded lectures multiple times. Students in small schools in rural or impoverished areas may be able to take classes online that they would not be able to take in person. Online classes may be less effective for most people, but it can help more students gain access to a good education. Sources: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/669930?casa_token=iuvPOmvUz8UAAAAA%3AtErP6z8bRS3lqVCMwYZ1y4pF0ZVJ9u84IAnSpigKS3Qum3BBP6pEAn-o6MSq_JJVtXaUiDl05w#_i15 https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-how-effective-is-online-learning-what-the-research-does-and-doesnt-tell-us/2020/03