A 2009 report entitled "Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning. A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies" provides the results of an extensive analysis of learning outcomes associated with online learning compared with traditional face-to-face instruction to answer four research questions: 

• How does the effectiveness of online learning compare with that of face-to-face instruction?
• Does supplementing face-to-face instruction with online instruction enhance learning? 
• What practices are associated with more effective online learning?
• What conditions influence the effectiveness of online learning?

Findings

The analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions, including both purely online and blended instruction,  performed better than those receiving only face-to-face instruction.

A direct comparison of blended and purely online instruction in 10 studies produced mostly null results making it difficult to draw conclusions.

With respect to incorporation of multiple media, the evidence available studies suggests that inclusion of more media in an online application does not enhance learning when content is controlled, but some evidence suggests that the learner’s ability to control the learning media is important. Manipulations to try to stimulate more active engagement on the part of online learners (such as use of advanced organizers, conceptual maps, or guiding questions) had mostly null results. Incorporating mechanisms that promote student reflection on their level of understanding is one of the clearest recommendations for practice. A dozen studies have investigated what effects manipulations that trigger learner reflection and self-monitoring of understanding have on individual students’ online learning outcomes. Ten out of 12 studies found that the experimental manipulations offered advantages over online learning that did not provide the trigger for reflection.

Another set of studies explored features usually associated with computer-based instruction, including the incorporation of quizzes, simulations, and techniques for individualizing instruction. The providing of simple multiple-choice quizzes did not appear to enhance online learning. The incorporation of simulations produced positive effects in two out of three studies. Individualizing online learning by dynamically generating learning content based on the student’s responses was found to be effective in the two studies investigating this topic. Attempts to guide the online interactions of groups of learners were less successful than the use of mechanisms to prompt reflection and self-assessment on the part of individual learners.

To download a pdf of this study, please click here

This report was published by the U.S. Department of Education.