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Evaluation of Online Education and Its Effects on Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Online education is no new phenomenon, but has recently gained traction due to the closure of educational institutions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the possibility of online learning becoming more relevant in the education system, researchers have observed the implications it has for students. While some studies have found little to no variance in academic performance, others have detected increased levels of engagement from students completing online courses. Mental health and student well-being have also been evaluated, with researchers coming to the conclusion that remote education increases negative emotions, such as depression and anxiety, due to the lack of interaction students have.

This essay discusses the evolution of online education, addressing its increased popularity over this past year, as well as discussing its pre-pandemic prominence. Following that is a dissection of the advantages and disadvantages of remote education from students’ perspectives. Further, I will discuss how these findings suggest that online education has both improved and worsened students’ academic performance, engagement levels, and mental health, as well as that blended learning is the most effective and efficient method. Lastly, some possible suggestions of how to mitigate the complications posed by remote education, as well as expectancies of the post-pandemic educational system will be discussed.