NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Online learning has received a bad rapport when compared to traditional in-class instruction but according to a recent study from Ithaka S+R, the gossip has been unjust. An article by US News discusses the study and the advantages of interactive online learning. The study proved that students receiving online education or a combination of online and in-class instruction produced equivalent or better results than students participating in face-to-face education. While there is, undoubtedly, a strong difference between traditional class instruction and online learning, McGraw University believes online classes can be just as engaging as traditional lectures.

The study asked 605 college students taking the same introductory statistics course from six different public universities to complete a series of tests before and after the course. Researchers split study participants into two groups one that completed in-class education and the other that completed the course online in addition to a weekly in-class session. According to the report, students taking a combination of online hours and in-class instruction performed better than those taking strictly traditional classroom sessions.

Researchers agree that the study did not account for differences in teacher quality, which could have played a significant role in students' ability to learn material. Diane Johnson, assistant director of faculty services at the Center for Online Learning at Florida's St. Leo University says that students learn better with instructors who engage them in the material with active discussions. "Teacher quality is still a very important part of success in an online course, but so, too, is the course design," Johnson says.

In a press statement, McGraw University noted, "McGraw University concurs with the report and believes that delivering quality online education radically influences the lives of those who seek to pursue their education through the online format. The main components of quality education, i.e. the course curriculum and its delivery is optimized at each and every point of time and is continuously updated and revised so that students get premium education and a complete return on what they pay for."

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McGraw University: Online Education is as Effective as Traditional Classroom Instruction