Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/55943
learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. are. Recently, SRI International and the U.S. Department of Education teamed up to examine 93 different comparative studies conducted between 1996 and 2008 on online versus traditional classroom teaching. In the comprehensive report, released earlier this year, analysts come to a striking conclusion: "On average, stu- dents in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." Online learning is no longer simply about access; it is no longer viewed as "better than nothing." Like other disruptive innovations, it has improved dramatically over the years. (The full report is online at www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence- based-practices/finalreport.pdf.) Another detailed study looks at how more than 10,000 faculty members perceive online learning. This study was prepared jointly by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) and the Sloan National Commission on Online Learning. Some of the findings are paradoxical. For example, 70 percent of participating faculty believe the learning outcomes of online courses are inferior to those in face-to-face courses. However, more than 80 percent who have taught online or blended courses have recommended online learning to their students, and this holds true no mat- ter what age the faculty members are or whether or not they have tenure. Even among professors who have never been involved with online courses, 40 percent have made the same recommendations to students. (More detail can be found in the full report at www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Page. aspx?pid=1347.) It seems that even professors who don't have high opin- ions of online learning believe it has some value, probably because it offers students greater access to education. Those with some firsthand experience of its benefits realize it has a great deal to offer. The study offers other important insights. Specifically, most faculty believe it takes more effort to teach online than face-to-face; and most are dissatisfied with the institu- tional support and incentives that exist for delivering online courses. These conclusions confirm our belief that successful blending requires much more than skillful faculty acting as "celebrity chefs." To be effective, it requires consistent and unwavering support from the administration. Online in the Future As real-world business endlessly adapts to economic chal- lenges and technological advances, business education will likewise evolve. We expect more and more business educators to acknowledge that learning can happen anywhere, whether in the formal classroom or the coffee shop; it should not be bound by time limits; and it must always yield measurable learning outcomes. In short, we expect business education to be driven more and more by blended learning. Blended learning is also critical because it uses the same tools that will help executives stay competitive in global business. Thus, it is more important than ever that busi- ness schools develop their own personal "blend" so they can remain relevant to the students and businesses they serve. ■ z Susan Gautsch is director of e-learning programs at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management in Los Angeles, California. Charla Griffy-Brown is an associate professor of information systems and technology management and director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at the school. More information about Pepperdine's blended learning programs can be found at sites.google.com/a/pepperdine.edu/aboutglean/. 32 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 According to one report, students in online PETER CADE/GETTY IMAGES