Online or Face-to-Face? The Modality of a Learning Strategies Course and Impacts on Grades, GPA, Retention, and Persistence for Developmental Students
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| Title: | Online or Face-to-Face? The Modality of a Learning Strategies Course and Impacts on Grades, GPA, Retention, and Persistence for Developmental Students |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Allison O. Lassiter |
| Source: | Online Learning. 2026 30(1):350-372. |
| 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: | 23 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | College Students, Higher Education, Intermode Differences, Learning Strategies, Electronic Learning, Online Courses, In Person Learning, COVID-19, Pandemics, Instructional Effectiveness, Developmental Studies Programs, Grade Point Average, Academic Persistence, Student Characteristics |
| ISSN: | 2472-5749 2472-5730 |
| Abstract: | As some research indicates that developmental students are more at risk in online learning (Jaggers & Xu, 2010; Xu & Jaggers, 2013), it is important to provide additional supports for students enrolled online. One of the ways to support developmental students is in providing learning strategies or college success coursework. At the institution of study, a one-credit hour learning strategies course is available to students online and in person and is provided at no cost to developmental students transitioning to credit-bearing coursework. Therefore, a concern is whether the students in the online course are disadvantaged by the modality, particularly during the pandemic when choice was limited. This research indicates that students who take the learning strategies course face-to-face do have better grades overall, but do not have a significantly higher GPA or persistence and retention rate. Outcomes are essentially the same for students before and during the pandemic. Overall, outcomes suggest that students are not materially harmed by taking the learning strategies course online with the caveat that grades may be higher in face-to-face coursework. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508218 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | As some research indicates that developmental students are more at risk in online learning (Jaggers & Xu, 2010; Xu & Jaggers, 2013), it is important to provide additional supports for students enrolled online. One of the ways to support developmental students is in providing learning strategies or college success coursework. At the institution of study, a one-credit hour learning strategies course is available to students online and in person and is provided at no cost to developmental students transitioning to credit-bearing coursework. Therefore, a concern is whether the students in the online course are disadvantaged by the modality, particularly during the pandemic when choice was limited. This research indicates that students who take the learning strategies course face-to-face do have better grades overall, but do not have a significantly higher GPA or persistence and retention rate. Outcomes are essentially the same for students before and during the pandemic. Overall, outcomes suggest that students are not materially harmed by taking the learning strategies course online with the caveat that grades may be higher in face-to-face coursework. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2472-5749 2472-5730 |
