Online Learning Efficacy Research Database

Education researchers have conducted studies on the relationship of learning mode to student performance, but few studies have evaluated pass rate, grade distribution and student withdrawal rate in an introductory research methods course. In this study, researchers examined 2,097 student grades from the 2015-2016 academic year to determine if such a relationship existed. In this study, learning mode was significantly related to failure rate, grade distribution and withdraw rate. Synchronous video home students had a significantly higher failure rate than traditional In-Person or online students. Online student grade distributions were significantly different than In-Person classroom, synchronous video home or synchronous video classroom students. Online Students tended to earn more "A"s and fewer "B"s and "D"s. Synchronous video home students also had a significantly higher withdraw rate than synchronous video classroom students. Recommendations for further research include investigating variables which may impact student performance such as faculty experience with course content and technology and how students select learning modes when taking classes. Future research should continue to employ outcome-based studies to measure the impact of learning mode on student performance. This remains a key issue from the perspective of the students and the institution. 
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Research has suggested that learning approaches such as blended learning can enhance both the quality of instruction and student learning outcomes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) education. However, little is known about how such instructional approaches affect learning outcomes in the context of Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) pre-university science students. The present study focused on a college Mechanics course at a CEGEP that used blended learning, and compared the affects of the two learning modes (blended versus traditional) on student academic performance. Overall, the study revealed that students in the blended classroom (treatment) experienced more conceptual change and higher performance compared to the students in the traditional lecture-based class (control group). The findings offer support for the push to implement alternative approaches to instruction such as blended learning. Moreover, the study also improves understanding of the affects of approaches such as blended learning on understudied samples such as CEGEPs. 
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This article outlines a study that compared an online virtual laboratory with a face-to-face laboratory. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual method of instruction for a general studies, physical science laboratory course. Using a pretest–posttest only design with nonequivalent control groups, differences between assessment scores, attitudes, and personal preferences were used to evaluate the likelihood of any impact of the online delivery when compared with that of the traditional method. No significant differences were found between the groups’ content knowledge gained or in their attitudes or preferences. While this result may seem discouraging at first, virtual laboratory sections can often be cost-effective for institutions to use and therefore may be a favorable choice. Also, there is a growing need or desire for online formats, and this study demonstrates that virtual methods are an effective alternative to face-to-face methods with laboratory content knowledge attainment. A discussion follows with suggestions or items to consider in designing or switching to a virtual format. 
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The present study examines the differential impact of studying in a Flipped Classroom (FC) setting, as compared to a Blended Learning (BL), a Traditional Learning (TL), and an E-Learning (EL) setting on learning performance, self-efficacy beliefs, intrinsic motivation, and perceived flexibility. Participants were second year undergraduate students (N = 90), enrolled in the “Invertebrates” course in Can Tho University (Vietnam). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions (TL n = 22, BL n = 22, FC n = 23, EL n = 23). Two instructional elements - (1) lectures and (2) guiding questions - were presented through two different modes (online and face-to-face). In the blended conditions (BL and FC) the mode of these elements were altered. The results show that learning performance was superior in the FC setting as compared to other learning settings TL (Cohens' d = 1.58), EL (Cohens' d = 1.01) and BL (Cohens' d = 0.71). Students in the BL setting had a higher learning performance as compared to the EL setting. In addition, we observed that studying in a FC setting had a positive effect on self-efficacy beliefs and intrinsic motivation, but not on perceived flexibility. These findings suggest that the FC setting could be a promising way of enhancing students’ learning performance. 
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This study compares learning success of online and on-campus students in a general education soil science course with lab and field components. Two terms of students completed standardized pre- and postassessments designed to test knowledge and skills from the lecture and lab content of the course. There was no difference in overall grade or lab assignment grades between course formats. Online students outperformed on-campus students on the preassessment in the first term and on the post-assessment in the second term; the two populations scored the similarly for the other assessments. Online students showed a 42% grade improvement from pre- to post-assessment; on-campus students had a 21% improvement. Online students also showed better learning success in lab-related knowledge and skills based on individual assessment questions. The students in both populations successfully met the learning objectives for this lab- and field-based science course. 
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This paper presents the results of a study designed to examine the effects of distance delivery on student performance and classroom interactions in an upper level science (Histology) course. Outcomes were assessed by comparing performance on content pre- and posttests for students enrolled in on-campus and on-line sections of the same course. Interactions were classified according to initiator, topic, and Bloom's taxonomy level for content interactions. The resulting patterns were analyzed to compare behaviors in different settings. It was found that although the groups were indistinguishable in content knowledge at the outset of the study, by the end of the semester, students in the on-line group significantly out-performed their peers in the on-campus section. The on-line settings had a greater proportion of high-level interactions (according to Bloom's taxonomy) than the on-campus setting. 
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