American Economic Review Vol. 106 No. 5 2016
A Randomized Assessment of Online Learning
Abstract
A microeconomics principles course employing random assignment across three sections with different teaching models is used to explore learning outcomes as measured by a cumulative final exam for students who participate in traditional face-to-face classroom instruction, blended face-to-face and online instruction with reduced instructor contact time, and a purely online instructional format. Evidence indicates learning outcomes were reduced for students in the purely online section relative to those in the face-to-face format by 5 to 10 points on a cumulative final exam. No statistically significant differences in outcomes are observed for students in the blended relative to the face-to-face section.
- DOI
- 10.1257/aer.p20161057
- Volume
- 106
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 378-382
- Language
- en
- Sources
- bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref openalex