Online versus Classroom Teaching: Differences and Specificities in Teacher-Student Interaction Processes
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| Title: | Online versus Classroom Teaching: Differences and Specificities in Teacher-Student Interaction Processes |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Francesca Giovanna Maria Gastaldi, Claudio Longobardi, Ali Ijaz, Sofia Mastrokoukou, Michele Settanni |
| Source: | Online Learning. 2026 30(1):114-137. |
| Availability: | Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 24 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Electronic Learning, Online Courses, Web Based Instruction, In Person Learning, Conventional Instruction, Differences, Teacher Student Relationship, Interaction, Classroom Environment, Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Students, Educational Benefits, Learning Processes, Classroom Techniques, Feedback (Response), Educational Quality, Age Differences, COVID-19, Pandemics, Distance Education, Student Needs |
| Geographic Terms: | Italy |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Classroom Assessment Scoring System |
| ISSN: | 2472-5749 2472-5730 |
| Abstract: | The introduction of information and communication technologies (ICT) in elementary education has radically changed the way of teaching and learning in recent decades. In addition, the recent acceleration in the use of online learning due to the pandemic period has increased the reliance on these teaching methods. Online learning has become a popular teaching practice in recent years in parallel with traditional teaching, yet there are still few studies in the literature that delve into a comparison between the two learning situations and in particular studies focusing on these methods within the elementary education are scarce. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions that occur in online learning as compared to typical face-to-face classroom interactions, with a specific focus on the elementary school level. The quality of teacher-student interactions was measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta et al., 2008). Elementary students were selected from 36 classes ranging from second to fifth grade. The total sample included 769 students (48% male). The majority of teachers were female (N = 31, 86%). The study shows that online teaching can have positive or negative effects on the quality of interaction between teachers and students, depending on the dimensions considered and the age of the participants. This study helps to highlight the differences and specificities of interaction and learning processes in the two situations (online and face-to-face): online teaching seems to improve positive climate, behavior management, and didactic learning formats, while face-to-face teaching seems to provide greater teacher sensitivity and better-quality feedback. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508019 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The introduction of information and communication technologies (ICT) in elementary education has radically changed the way of teaching and learning in recent decades. In addition, the recent acceleration in the use of online learning due to the pandemic period has increased the reliance on these teaching methods. Online learning has become a popular teaching practice in recent years in parallel with traditional teaching, yet there are still few studies in the literature that delve into a comparison between the two learning situations and in particular studies focusing on these methods within the elementary education are scarce. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions that occur in online learning as compared to typical face-to-face classroom interactions, with a specific focus on the elementary school level. The quality of teacher-student interactions was measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta et al., 2008). Elementary students were selected from 36 classes ranging from second to fifth grade. The total sample included 769 students (48% male). The majority of teachers were female (N = 31, 86%). The study shows that online teaching can have positive or negative effects on the quality of interaction between teachers and students, depending on the dimensions considered and the age of the participants. This study helps to highlight the differences and specificities of interaction and learning processes in the two situations (online and face-to-face): online teaching seems to improve positive climate, behavior management, and didactic learning formats, while face-to-face teaching seems to provide greater teacher sensitivity and better-quality feedback. |
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| ISSN: | 2472-5749 2472-5730 |
