Dr. Shijie Lu
Students improved their math scores by 8 to 11 points on a 100-point scale after transitioning from in-person to online instruction during the pandemic, researchers found after analyzing more than 15,000 course records from nearly 8,000 students across nine Chinese universities.
The study, "Effectiveness of Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Chinese Universities," is forthcoming in the journal Production and Operations Management.
"Contrary to the widespread belief that online education is less effective than face-to-face instruction, our findings show that students actually performed better online, at least in quantitative subjects during the pandemic," said Dr. Shijie Lu, the Howard J. and Geraldine F. Korth Associate Professor of Marketing at Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.
The improvements were concentrated in reasoning-based subjects like mathematics, where students could pause lectures, rewatch examples and practice problems at their own pace. Courses that rely on discussion and interpretation, such as English, showed minimal benefits from the online format.
The research team compared students' grades before the pandemic with their performance during lockdown periods, using econometric methods to isolate the effects of online learning from other pandemic-related factors.
However, the study revealed that lockdown policies significantly influenced learning outcomes. Stricter stay-at-home orders increased psychological stress and reduced the effectiveness of online learning, while workplace closures and public transportation suspensions helped some students maintain focus.
