Study: 90% of students value online and traditional teaching equally
Online learning is proving positive with students, as feedback from a recent Online Learning Consortium report shows that online courses offer an equal, if not better, academic experience for students when compared to attending traditional, face-to-face classes. In fact, 90% of students who took part in the study agreed with this finding. This contrasts with a recent report from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which found that the majority of students preferred attending classes face-to-face with tutors. The positive feedback will likely result in an increase in courses being offered online to attract students, which in turn could see increased investment into online education.

As cost-effective alternatives to traditional college classes, online learning programs continue to gain steam in higher ed.

According to statistics gathered for an Online Learning Consortium infographic, 5.8 million students are now enrolled in online courses, and the majority put tremendous stock in the quality of their education: 90 percent of students say their online learning experiences are the same or better than in-classroom options.

College and university leadership agrees: The infographic states that 71 percent of academic leaders say learning outcomes for online courses are the same or better than that of face-to-face classes.

Despite the all-around praise for online learning, a survey quoted in the infographic indicates that 4 out of 5 college students feel their professors could be doing more to integrate technology into learning.

Check out the infographic below for more information on the state of online learning opportunities within higher ed.