Does remote learning work as well as classroom teaching?

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1. 1

   The effects of online education on academic success: A meta-analysis study

   Education and Information Technologies (Ulum)Published Sep 6, 2021Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Furthermore, this study will provide a source to assist future studies with comparing the effect of online education on academic achievement before and after the pandemic. This meta-analysis study consists of 27 studies in total. The meta-analysis involves the studies conducted in the USA, Taiwan, Turkey, China, Philippines, Ireland, and Georgia. The studies included in the meta-analysis are experimental studies, and the total sample size is 1772. In the study, the funnel plot, Duval and Tweedie's Trip and Fill Analysis, Orwin's Safe N Analysis, and Egger's Regression Test were utilized to determine the publication bias, which has been found to be quite low. Besides, Hedge's g statistic was employed to measure the effect size for the difference between the means performed in accordance with the random effects model. The results of the study show that the effect size of online education on academic achievement is on a medium level. The heterogeneity test results of the meta-analysis study display that the effect size does not differ in terms of class level, country, online education approaches, and lecture moderators.”

2. 2

   Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning on Students’ Academic Achievement in Pakistan: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

   Proscholar insights (Rafiq-uz-Zaman et al.)Published Feb 28, 2026Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “The pooled effect size was calculated by the use of a random-effects model with Restricted Maximum-Likelihood estimator calculated using JAMOVI and R. Findings showed that the pooled effect size of 0.603 (SE = 0.233, p = 0.009) was statistically significant and with a 95% confidence interval of [0.147, 1.059]. The level of heterogeneity was also not very high (I2 = 14.9%, p = 0.335), which indicated a similarity in the benefits in different educational contexts. The evaluation of publication bias including the regression by Egger (p = 0.656) and a Rosenenthal Fail-Safe N of 6 showed strong results. Moreover, Two One-Sided Tests (TOST) on equivalence proved that the experimented effect was statistically significant and meaningfully different from zero and not equivalent to a trivial effect within the boundaries of ±0.50. This meta-analysis offers robust empirical evidence that online and blended learning can contribute to significantly improving academic outcomes in Pakistan, which presents an important framework in terms of educational policy and digital infrastructure development in the future.”

3. 3

   Impact of online learning on student's performance and engagement: a systematic review

   Discover Education (Akpen et al.)Published Nov 1, 2024Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “The review included peer-reviewed studies that assess student engagement and performance in online learning environments. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 studies were selected for detailed analysis. The analysis revealed varied impacts of online learning on student performance and engagement. Some studies reported improved academic performance due to the flexibility and accessibility of online learning, enabling students to learn at their own pace. However, other studies highlighted challenges such as decreased engagement and isolation, and reduced interaction with instructors and peers. The effectiveness of online learning was found to be influenced by factors such as the quality of digital tools, good internet, and student motivation. Maintaining student engagement remains a challenge, effective strategies to improve student engagement such as interactive elements, like discussion forums and multimedia resources, alongside adequate instructor-student interactions, were critical in improving both engagement and performance.”

4. 4

   Online versus classroom teaching for medical students during COVID-19: measuring effectiveness and satisfaction

   BMC Medical Education (AlQhtani et al.)Published Aug 28, 2021Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Thus, we aimed to measure the effectiveness of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as medical students' preferences regarding e-learning and classroom teaching, and the possibility of applying it post-pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey of medical students (N = 376) in six medical schools was carried out after their second semester, from August 15 to 20, 2020. Ten parameters were measured for the effectiveness of e-learning based on a 5-point Likert-scale and five parameters were measured for satisfaction. RESULTS: e-learning was more or equally effective in four parameters such as assignment submission and meeting individual needs, but less effective in six parameters, including building skills and knowledge, and interaction level. Satisfaction was either high or neutral in all five parameters. Our findings have shown that e-learning can assist the teaching process in medical schools in some respects, but cannot be used for the entire teaching process.”

5. 5

   Association of Attendance Format with Learning Gain and National Examination Performance in a HyFlex Preparatory Course for Pharmacy Students.

   Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) (Nagakura et al.)Published Sep 17, 2026Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Students received the same course content and examinations and were classified into face-to-face (F2F), live online (LO), or mixed (MIX) attendance groups. Course-period learning gain was defined as the difference in examination score percentage between the post-course and pre-course examinations. The F2F group showed greater learning gain than the LO and MIX groups. Although the NEP pass rate was higher in the F2F group, the difference among groups did not reach statistical significance in the primary analysis (p = 0.086). Similar findings were observed in a sensitivity analysis. In conclusion, F2F attendance was associated with greater course-period learning gain than LO or MIX attendance. However, this advantage was not clearly reflected in NEP outcomes, indicating that course-period learning gain alone may not fully explain final examination performance and continued post-course support may be needed. Because the attendance format was self-selected, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of a causal effect.”

6. 6

   Medical students' perceptions of online versus physical teaching methods in southern Nigeria: a post covid-19 pandemic cross-sectional pilot study.

   BMC medical education (Onyenagubo et al.)Published Mar 7, 2026Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “The findings from this pilot study revealed a significant positive relationship favouring classroom learning in terms of better academic outcomes, effective interaction, meeting individual needs, and refinement of skills and knowledge from the students’ perspective. A substantial majority (80.6%) associated classroom learning with better academic outcomes, and 93.2% found it superior for fostering interactions. In contrast, online learning was perceived as more expensive for both students (82.5%) and institutions (62.1%). Technical problems (88.3%) and a lack of self-discipline (74.8%) were identified as major disadvantages of online learning. Sex was significantly associated with the perception of stress, with more males deeming physical classroom lectures more stressful than online lectures (p = 0.028). Despite the necessity of online education following the pandemic, traditional classroom teaching remains the preferred and more effective mode of instruction for final-year medical students in Nigeria. While online learning provided crucial continuity, it was generally considered more expensive and stressful due to technical issues, and less engaging.”

7. 7

   The Effectiveness and Challenges of Online Learning for Secondary School Students – A Case Study

   Asian Journal of University Education (Basar et al.)Published Aug 1, 2021Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “This study employed a case study design using a survey questionnaire, administered to 99 students from a secondary school in Jasin, Melaka. Data were analysed descriptively (calculation of percentage and frequency). Generally, the findings indicated that the students have computers or smartphones and an internet connection at home. Besides, it was found that that the ability and comfortability to use computers was high (>93%). However, their motivation in online learning was low (41.5%) and ability to work in a group was at a moderate level (66.7%). They also agreed that conventional teaching (face-to-face) was important for their learning (98%). These findings are valuable for the government, school administrators, teachers and parents to acknowledge the importance of well-equipped facilities and a stable internet connection for effective learning. However, it is recommended for future researchers to utilize a larger sample size and students from various backgrounds to better understand this issue. Keywords: COVID-19; online learning; students’ challenges; remote learning.”