Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review...

"A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 50 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." (p. ix). (Abstractor: Author)

Full Publication Title: Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

The main finding from the literature review was that few rigorous research studies of the effectiveness of online learning for K–12 students have been published. A systematic search of the research literature from 1994 through 2006 found no experimental or controlled quasi-experimental studies comparing the learning effects of online versus face-to-face instruction for K–12 students that provide sufficient data to compute an effect size. A subsequent search that expanded the time frame through July 2008 identified just five published studies meeting meta-analysis criteria.(p. xiv) Other findings include: Students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction. Instruction combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage relative to purely face-to-face instruction than did purely online instruction. Effect sizes were larger for studies in which the online instruction was collaborative or instructor director than in those where online learners worked independently. Most of the variations in the way in which different studies implemented online learning did not affect student learning outcomes significantly. The effectiveness of online learning approaches appears quite broad across different content and learner types. Effect sizes were larger for studies in which the online and face-to-face conditions varied in terms of curriculum materials and aspects of instructional approach in addition to the medium of instruction." (p.xiv-xvi) (Abstractor: Author and Website Staff)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2010
• Author(s): Means, Barbara; Toyama, Yukie; Murphy, Robert; Bakia, Marianne; Jones, Karla
• Organizational Author(s): U.S. Department of Education, Center for Technology in Learning
• Funding Source: U.S. Department of Education
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
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• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies