Television commercials bombard the airwaves touting the ease of earning online college credits from home. However, a recent study by Columbia University shows that student success in such programs rarely mirrors the outcome of “earning a degree in your pajamas” that the advertisements offer.
The Chronicle of Higher Education shared the results of the study by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center. After surveying 500,000 online courses taken by over 40,000 community- and technical-college students in Washington state, the Center found that all students who take online courses are less likely to earn a degree than their campus-visiting counterparts.
Additionally, the following groups of online students were found even less likely to complete the coursework required for a degree: black students, male students, younger students, and students with lower grade point averages. Online students who were more likely to complete the coursework included: older students, female students, and higher performing students. The study found that the latter groups, which often pursue online course credits for the convenience of balancing studying and raising children, were more successful because they were more likely to find little difference between the online and physical classroom.
Study authors point out that students who participated in online courses due to personal scheduling obstacles, as opposed to those who enrolled online for reasons other than easier access, tended to have a higher degree completion rate. However, online course instructors explained that online courses offer more than just schedule flexibility. They also offer students an environment free from the pressures of peer judgment, where they can express themselves and receive valuable feedback.
