This Summary of Research on the Effectiveness of K-12 Online Learning looks at many of the studies that have been carried out on the effectiveness and academic outcomes of distance online education compared to face to face tuition. While focusing on K-12, it also looks at the results of some studies on the outcomes of adult learners in higher education situations. The findings are similar across studies, concluding that on average, students engaging in online learning perform as well as, if not better than, students in traditional classroom environments. Some of the benefits of online learning found in the studies are mentioned, including more time spent on tasks, high level of effectiveness for different learner types, enhanced teacher student interaction, more highly developed thinking skills and technology skills. The summary concludes that ‘online learning has the potential to transform teaching and learning by redesigning traditional approaches, personalising instruction and enhancing the quality of learning experience’ (Patrick & Powell, 2009, p.9).
It is disappointing that I couldn’t find any Australian studies looking at the outcomes achieved by students learning primarily online and by distance, compared to those in traditional settings. Looking at some of the websites for distance education schools in Australia, it does seem that high quality results are being achieved by students of these institutions. It’s worth checking out the Sydney Distance Education High School’s website to see some of the outstanding results achieved by students across a range of disciplines.
Patrick, S. Powell, A. (2009) A Summary of the Effectiveness of K-12 Online Learning. Retrieved from http://www.k12.com/filefolder/NACOL_ResearchEffectiveness-hr.pdf
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