Does online education work?

As you all know, this is a huge trend in education - and something you are all involved in to some degree (that's why I run this blog). Its been promoted as an improvement over in-class instruction because it allows for flexibility for students who have other obligations. It also allows for students to sign up for classes in a range of institutions which not only increases their options, but allows them to be taught be top level professors.

But after a few years of online education, research (policy evaluation) throws cold water on its effects:

First, student attrition rates — around 90 percent for some huge online courses — appear to be a problem even in small-scale online courses when compared with traditional face-to-face classes. Second, courses delivered solely online may be fine for highly skilled, highly motivated people, but they are inappropriate for struggling students who make up a significant portion of college enrollment and who need close contact with instructors to succeed.

The research comes form the Community College Research Center at Columbia University.