Taking courses online improves students' grades compared with taking the same courses in person.

Is it true that taking courses online improves students' grades compared with taking the same courses in person?

Unclear. Several sources indicate that online course taking is associated with equal or worse outcomes than in-person instruction, including a review reporting a 'no significant difference' pattern and a study suggesting online students learn less and persist at lower rates. None of the retrieved items directly compares grades for the same courses taken online versus in person, so the evidence only partially addresses the claim.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 0 sources for, 5 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

P., S. K., Scott, J., & Sandy, D. (2017). Student Success and the Taking of Courses Online. eric.ed.gov. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED592941

Center, C. C. R. (2024). What We Know About Online Course Outcomes. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.7916/av22-0n72

Alammary, A. (2019). Blended learning models for introductory programming courses: A systematic review. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221765

Remote and In-Person Learning: Utility Versus Social Experience - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-022-01539-6

Fischer, C., Baker, R., Li, Q., Orona, G. A., & Warschauer, M. (2021). Increasing Success in Higher Education: The Relationships of Online Course Taking with College Completion and Time-to-Degree. EdWorkingPaper No. 21-427. eric.ed.gov. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED671912