What is it about?
We compared the student learning outcomes of online asynchronous and in-person classes in quantitative research methods. We found that while the online and classroom formats were statistically equivalent in most learning outcomes, the classroom lecture format was more effective in teaching quantitative data analyses and the completely online format in writing research papers.
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Why is it important?
The paper's main contribution is methodological. Using a new dataset and estimation approach, we reexamined the online v. classroom debate - the face-to-face lecture is still the most effective method to deliver course content to students. We exploited a naturally occurring phenomenon in a classroom environment to approximate statistical equivalence in the characteristics of students in the online and classroom formats and satisfy the exogeneity assumption of the treatment variable.
Perspectives
In the paper’s concluding section, we developed what we called, for lack of a better term, the feedback-as-teaching philosophy or approach to close the gap between the learning outcomes of completely online and entirely face-to-face classes. The recommendations we developed for both online and classroom instructors in public administration are the result of the collaboration of three authors/researchers who have expertise in different fields: research methodology, instructional design (including the use of technology in teaching and learning), program/curriculum coordination, and adult education.
Reynold Galope
Metropolitan State University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploiting a natural experiment in assessing student learning outcomes in public and nonprofit administration: A demonstration, Teaching Public Administration, December 2023, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/01447394231223071.
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