Going the Distance or Growing More Remote? The Academic Impacts of Course Modality Following Pandemic-Era Investments. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1183
Saved in:
| Title: | Going the Distance or Growing More Remote? The Academic Impacts of Course Modality Following Pandemic-Era Investments. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1183 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rachel Worsham, Elise Swanson, Christopher Norio Avery, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University |
| Source: | Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025. |
| Availability: | Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 51 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R305X220018 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: | Distance Education, COVID-19, Pandemics, Investment, Community Colleges, Electronic Learning, Community College Students, Outcomes of Education, Academic Achievement, Intellectual Disciplines, Prior Learning, Student Characteristics, School Demography, Grade Point Average, Academic Persistence, Course Selection (Students) |
| Abstract: | Since the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education has rapidly expanded, transforming the landscape of community colleges. This paper explores how different online learning modalities impact student success in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest and most diverse systems in the United States. With the purpose of providing actionable insights to community college leaders seeking to improve student outcomes and plan modality offerings moving forward, our analyses examine how student academic performance is influenced by participation in online courses and the extent of online course enrollment, as well as how outcomes vary based on course type, subject area, prior academic performance, and student demographics. Our findings suggest that enrolling in online courses leads to a slight reduction in students' GPAs, has no impact on credits earned, and has a moderate negative effect on persistence. Negative impacts are driven by dosage of online course taking, modality choice, and course subject. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED674058 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Since the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education has rapidly expanded, transforming the landscape of community colleges. This paper explores how different online learning modalities impact student success in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest and most diverse systems in the United States. With the purpose of providing actionable insights to community college leaders seeking to improve student outcomes and plan modality offerings moving forward, our analyses examine how student academic performance is influenced by participation in online courses and the extent of online course enrollment, as well as how outcomes vary based on course type, subject area, prior academic performance, and student demographics. Our findings suggest that enrolling in online courses leads to a slight reduction in students' GPAs, has no impact on credits earned, and has a moderate negative effect on persistence. Negative impacts are driven by dosage of online course taking, modality choice, and course subject. |
|---|
