A Comparison of Final Grades in Courses When Faculty Concurrently Taught the Same Course to Campus-Based and Distance Education Students: Winter Term 1997.

Overview & Synopsis

This study examined differences in final course grades for campus-based and distance education students at Nova Southeastern University (Florida). Data on over 26,000 course grades for winter term 1997 were obtained from university records. It was found that students enrolled in courses offered through distance education received a significantly greater frequency of successful grades (A, B, C, or Pass) than their campus-based counterparts enrolled in the undergraduate studies program, the School of Education and Human Services, and the School of Business and Entrepreneurship. However, in the Center for Psychological Studies, there was no significant difference in the frequency of successful grades awarded in campus-based courses and courses offered through distance education. For courses taught by faculty who concurrently taught the same course to campus-based students and distance education students, there was no significant difference in the frequency of successful grades awarded in campus-based courses and courses offered through distance education. An appendix contains 9 references and 4 tables. (MDM)