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ABSTRACT
There is much discussion about whether online instruction is as effective as face-to-face instruction. To address this question, a comparative study was made of two sections of an MBA organizational theory course, one taught online and the other face-to-face. The content covered by both sections was the same with similar assignments and a common final examination. There was little difference between the sections on the results of the final examination or the student course evaluations. This study suggests that neither modality is more effective than the other with regard to student achievement or their perceptions of course effectiveness.
Keywords: MBA; online learning; face-to-face learning; course evaluations; learning outcomes
INTRODUCTION
Online education has been the fastest growing segment of higher education. Because it is so unlike traditional classroom-based instruction, many questions have been raised as to the quality of the education offered in the online modality. After an extensive survey of the literature, the U.S. Department of Education issued a report concluding that the online or hybrid modalities are more effective than face-to-face instruction (U.S., n.d). Still, throughout the higher education community, many have reservations about the quality of online education. Educators question whether the content of courses is altered and if student learning is diminished as classes are delivered through these different conduits of instruction (Figurel).
To examine this question, a study was completed at a university school of business to ascertain which of two instructional modalities - online or face-to-face - was more effective. A comparison was made of two sections of a graduate organizational theory course required for the MBA degree, one taught face-to-face and the other online. The purpose was to investigate whether the conclusion of the Department of Education was valid. Students from both sections also completed a course evaluation report that provided subjective data on the effectiveness of the teaching modalities.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
There is extensive literature comparing the strengths and weaknesses of online teaching versus face-to-face teaching. However, none of them address the opinion of students regarding the two modalities. Brownstein and Gerlowski (2008) compared the different modalities using an assessment rubric for two student essays. They found that learning outcomes were equally robust in either format. Gibson (2008) compared test scores from online and...