Meta - Analysis on Online Vs Traditional Classroom Education

Abstract

Web-based education, because of its convenience, has become an important delivery method across multiple higher education contexts. In particular, online courses offer time and space flexibility that enable working adults to continue to keep their full-time jobs while earning college credits. In this research, we have analyzed the difference between traditional and online classroom education. The purpose of the study was to understand and examine existing empirical studies to determine whether there was a systematic difference in student satisfaction with online courses versus face-to-face classroom courses, and to determine if course subject matter or institution type (undergraduate versus graduate courses) moderated preferences for course format. Future studies should explore differences in student satisfaction with distance education courses and traditional courses at 2-year institutions and graduate institutions because most studies have been conducted at the undergraduate level. The results from this study may assist educators and educational institutions in planning, developing, and executing online courses.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Research Questions2

Review of Literature3

Danger and Pitfall of Using Internet for Students11

Research Method11

Participants or Study Objects12

Methodological Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations13

Ethical Assurances14

Data Analysis14

Recommendations18

Conclusion19

References21

Meta- Analysis on Online Vs Traditional Classroom Education

Introduction

The Internet is increasingly a fundamental component of the American home. Email, music, television, radio, newspapers, scientific publications, and magazines all have a presence online. And Americans, in ever-increasing numbers, are using the Internet as a part of their routine life. Additionally, more and more people are using online technology to obtain college degrees. In 2006, an estimated 3.5 million Americans were taking at least one online course, and the numbers are increasing (Swan et al. 2008).

It is obvious that there are differences between land-based and online college programs. The most significant difference is the lack of physical proximity among students, the university, and the faculty. Still, this lack of physical proximity is not a barrier to learning. Additionally, relationships between individuals can and do exist strictly in the online world.

Online higher education classes and programs have become increasingly popular in the U.S., with existing brick-and-mortar schools offering more online courses at the same time those new distance-only institutions are emerging (Smith et al. 2002). Teachers of distance education courses have unique instructional responsibilities and must develop enhanced competencies for electronically mediated learner engagement and interaction. Online course instructors may use streaming videos, must understand the course management system used by the institution, and must have a different set of teaching skills.

It is important to study student course satisfaction for a variety of reasons. Student satisfaction and course achievement are positively correlated with both traditional and online courses. Course satisfaction in individual courses is also positively related to cumulative academic factors such as grade point average. Level of student satisfaction with courses has also been shown to predict retention.

Some of the important factors that affect student satisfaction are shared between traditional course delivery and online course delivery models, but others are unique to online courses, or at least more prominent in ...