A new report, titled “Not Yet Sold, found that students
may not be as satisfied with their online educational experience as previously reported.
In fact, 38% of the community college students responding to a survey from
Public Agenda said web-based courses were harder to pass than the traditional
classroom model.
Six of 10 students also said online courses required
more discipline than attending class in person, and 40% said they learned less
than in classrooms or lecture halls. In addition, three-quarters of employers
surveyed for the study agreed that online courses require the same or more
discipline from students than traditional classes.
“Just as online education itself is rapidly changing,
we expect student and employer attitudes to shift as well,” the authors of the
study wrote.
“Still, we need to consider the skepticism of those on the ground, especially
if we hope to avoid any unintended consequences.”