Online courses improve student academic performance compared with face-to-face instruction.

Is it true that online courses improve student academic performance compared with face-to-face instruction?

Partly. Evidence is mixed and partial: one community-college study found a 5-week online format yielded the highest retention and academic performance, while a response to a Department of Education meta-analysis reports no online advantage for fully online, semester-length college courses. Other items report student and teacher perceptions rather than measured performance comparisons.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 3 sources for, 4 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.

Nkabinde, Z. P. (2021). Online Instruction. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-8047-9.ch079

Shanna, J. (2024). Choosing Between Online and Face-to-Face Courses. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.7916/xq50-xa30

Course Format Matters: Effects on Student Retention and Academic Performance. (2026). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251261437233

Online Learning Makes Student Perform Better: A Quantitative Study of Interactivity During Class and Academic Performance Among USIM Students. (2023). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.33102/jcicom.vol3no1.84

Shanna, J. (2014). Choosing between online and face-to-face courses: Community college student voices. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8RF5S33

Students’ Perception of Online Versus Face-to-Face Learning: What Do the Healthcare Teachers Have to Know? - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.54217

Shanna, J. & R., B. T. (2014). Effectiveness of Fully Online Courses for College Students: Response to a Department of Education Meta-Analysis. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.7916/D85M63SM