DOE Sees Increased Role for E-Learning

Online classes coupled with classroom instruction may be more effective than traditional face-to-face teaching alone, according to an analysis of 46 studies of student performance recently released by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).
The results were most stark at the college level, but DOE officials are looking at how to apply the findings in K-12 classrooms, potentially emphasizing e-learning over teacher-led classes.
“A computer can do as well as a professor and [is] a heck of a lot cheaper and a heck of a lot more reliable,” says Marshall Smith, senior counselor to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “At the post-secondary level this is a pretty powerful thing.” more » » »