This study compares performance and sense of belonging between students enrolled in the online and in-person sections of my Numerical Methods course, where all students were residential and physically on campus. The online section was introduced primarily to address two challenges: (1) limited availability of large, flexible classrooms to accommodate increasing enrollment, and (2) student preference for the flexibility of online classes. The only difference between the two sections was how students completed “in-class” activities. In the in-person section, students attended class during lecture time to work in teams on computer-based activities. In the online section, students had no attendance requirement and completed the same activities asynchronously in groups.
Both sections started the semester with similar average student GPAs. Controlling for GPA, the two sections showed comparable average scores on formative assessments, but a small advantage in exam scores for in-person students (2.4% higher than online students, p = 0.028). However, this advantage diminished in the final weighted average score (1.2% higher, p = 0.067). Disaggregating by gender revealed no significant difference for women between the two sections, but men in the in-person section scored 4% higher than their online counterparts (see figure below).
Sense of belonging was measured through surveys at the beginning and end of the semester. Students responded to questions about their comfort in the classroom, perceived isolation, and perceived support from course staff and peers. Results showed a statistically significant increase in sense of belonging for the entire class in both sections, with a more pronounced improvement in the in-person section.
These findings suggest that online sections for on-campus students can effectively address enrollment pressures, large class sizes, and the need for flexibility without compromising learning outcomes. Since 2022, my course has offered both in-person and online sections. I advise students on the differences, emphasizing the small performance impact and the enhanced sense of belonging associated with the in-person section. Over the past two years, approximately 40% of students have chosen the in-person option.
Gulati R., West M., Zilles C., Silva M., “Comparing Student Outcomes in Online vs. In-person Sections of an On-campus Computer Science Course”, Proceedings of the 2023 American Society for Engineering Education Conference (ASEE 2023), 2023.