Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom
A recent New York Times article details a study with some very interesting findings.
“The study’s major significance lies in demonstrating that online learning today is not just better than nothing — it actually tends to be better than conventional instruction,” said Barbara Means, the study’s lead author and an educational psychologist at SRI International.
Can this be true? It some ways, it makes a lot of sense to me. I have found in working with students that learning experiences that are more interactive, allow for customized learning paths, and adapt to multiple learning styles, produce higher engagement levels. Online learning squarely fits into these categories. I think our face-to-face educational models need to more fully embrace these new approaches to learning. We need to also think about the places where online learning might be a better option.
09/15/2009 at 8:33 am
Maybe it has to do with the people taking online courses being generally older or actually wanting to be there.