Social Interaction Is Not Always Necessary In Online Education

As more colleges embrace online education, many question how much a student can actually learn by sitting in front of a computer screen. While distance learning can be beneficial economically, can students grow--academically and personally--without face-to-face interaction with instructors and peers?


Photo: Francesco Marino

According to education officials at National-Louis University, the answer is yes.

Amy Garrett Dikkers, assistant professor of education policy at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, explained that while many people believe social media can improve engagement--and thus retention and learning outcomes--online education caters to so many different types of students that the results are bound to vary.

Joe Glover, University of Florida provost, told The New York Times, "Quite honestly, the higher education industry in the United States has not been tremendously effective in the face-to-face mode...At the very least we should be experimenting with other modes of delivery of education."
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Source: CityTownInfo.com