Why Waste Time With Online? A Critical Review of Inequality Through Online Higher Education Courses

• In Event: 1555 - Section on Science, Knowledge, and Technology Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 3. Examining Inequality: Science and Tech as Solution or Snake Oil?

Abstract

One of the many social institutions that have witnessed a greater utilization of technology in recent times has been that of higher education. The utilization of computer and internet technology has led to higher demand for online courses and organizational programs in order to better serve the students of higher education around the world. While this change has greatly impacted some students in a positive way, the push for more courses to become online may become problematic to students who do not have complete access to computer and internet technology outside of the physical universities. This critical literature review analyzes the available literature over higher education in relation to online courses in order to determine if the existing literature adequately explores an online course’s potential to create or increase inequality amongst all students. This critical review concludes that online courses in higher education do create or cycle inequality, but key elements that could explain the differences in performance between traditional face-to-face courses and online courses are ignored in much of the existing research. While online courses are not inherently harmful to student performance, there must be additional and more specified research and assessment before it can be determined that they are truly superior to traditional classes.

Author

• Derek Wilson, University of Kansas