The Impact of Online Classes On Students’ Academic Performance
The sector of online education has been developing rapidly over the last decade. But even after so many years of improvement and innovation, this sector has never seen such a major lift as it did during the COVID-19 outbreak.
In 2019, after the global pandemic has struck, millions of students around the world were urged to study fully online. No wonder why today the impact of online learning on students’ performance and satisfaction is one of the most discussed and studied topics.
So, what is this impact? And do online classes have the potential to change the education industry once and forever? In this article, the expert team from one of the most trusted do my paper for me services (where you can buy essay and have lots of free time) is going to dig deeper and answer these questions. So, let’s dive into the topic to gain a better understanding of the situation.
Student Satisfaction
There is no need to deny that online learning has many significant benefits for both teachers and students. First of all, online classes embrace personalization and self-paced learning. Also, this form of study is widely recognized for the freedom, flexibility, and comfort it can offer. Thus, it is not surprising that students generally feel more satisfied with online learning.
According to experts, several aspects determine their satisfaction:
- quality of instruction;
- course design;
- immediate feedback.
According to a recent study, these are the three core factors that students find the most important in ensuring satisfaction.
First of all, the overall satisfaction is influenced by the quality and enthusiasm of an instructor. In an ideal scenario, online learners expect instructors to be
- proactive;
- engaged in the process;
- well-versed in technology.
The second factor is no less important. The course design affects not only students’ satisfaction but also their learning outcomes. An online course should be interactive, well-structured, and engaging.
Lastly, being able to receive immediate feedback from the teacher is one of the biggest benefits offered by online learning. So, this is exactly what most students expect from such classes.
Now, let’s move to the main question.
Academic Performance
So, can online learning ensure better academic results in students? The answer is yes. But only if all the factors for ensuring satisfaction were met.
For decades, academic performance has been considered a central pole of the education system. Even today, in the world where we finally recognize that grades and test results don’t matter quite as much as we used to believe, the entire education system still seems to rotate around the students’ performance.
Student outcomes are used to measure not only individual performance but the success of the educational system in general. And this is a huge omission.
If we look only at the relationship between online learning and academic performance, there will be examples of students who both performed better in online classes and those who failed. Thus, to find the answer, it is crucial to consider other factors that influence outcomes, one of which is satisfaction.
A 2016 study found that satisfaction plays one of the biggest roles in student outcomes. According to the study, the level of satisfaction one gets from learning promotes academic success and retention.
With that being said, we can confidently state that students’ academic achievement can boost thanks to online learning. But it is possible only if they enjoy the quality and format of learning.
That’s where online classes can have a significant advantage over traditional, face-to-face instruction. As was already said, the benefits of online learning are huge. Students who have tried studying online report about the following:
- the ability to learn at one’s own pace;
- more flexibility;
- more interactive and, thus, more engaging format of classes;
- higher level of self-motivation;
- the opportunity to get prompt feedback or advice from the instructor;
- the chance to acquire a huge range of vital skills, including time management, technical skills, critical thinking, etc.;
- more space for collaboration and communication;
- gaining a broader perspective.
All these benefits make students feel more comfortable and engaged in the learning process. Therefore, they all cultivate satisfaction, which, in its turn, has been proven to boost the overall academic performance.
The Bottom Line
Although online learning still has plenty of space for improvement and is not fully here yet, numerous studies show that it can become the next big thing.
Individuals who study online often report having a higher level of engagement, motivation, and, thus, better academic outcomes. However, one thing that is still being overlooked is that academic performance itself is greatly influenced by students’ satisfaction.
Suppose we want online classes to become an integral element of our educational system and bring the desired results. In that case, it is vital to focus not on the outcomes but on the satisfaction levels among students. The higher the satisfaction is, the greater academic success we will see in learners.