Understanding the Effectiveness of Open Learning Initiative Online Courses Among Community College Students: Findings and Challenges for Future Research

• In Event: 65.034 - Community College Students: Focus on Course Taking, Transfer, and Students From the Foster Care System

Abstract

We evaluate learning gains among community college students enrolled in courses where faculty agreed to combine face-to-face instruction with online Open Learning Initiative (OLI) course materials. Specifically, we use propensity score matching to compare learning gains experienced by students receiving blended instruction (OLI and face-to-face) with those of students who received traditional face-to-face instruction only. Our sample includes students enrolled in introductory “gatekeeper” courses critical to degree completion and four-year transfer: Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Psychology and Statistics. While some evidence has suggested significantly poorer outcomes for community college students enrolled in online courses, the results suggest that students enrolled in blended online courses perform at least as well as students in traditional instructional settings.

Authors

• Sarah M. Ryan, Education Development Center, Inc.

• Julia Heath Kaufman, RAND Corporation

• Joel Greenhouse, Carnegie Mellon University

• Ruicong She, Carnegie Mellon University

• Judy Shi, Carnegie Mellon University