Do Online Courses Provide an Equal Educational Value Compared to In-Person Classroom Teaching? Evidence from US Survey Data using Quantile Regression

TL;DR

This study uses Bayesian quantile regression on US survey data to compare public perceptions of online versus in-person education, revealing demographic and experiential factors influencing preferences.

Contribution

It introduces a Bayesian quantile approach to analyze heterogeneity in opinions about online education, highlighting factors affecting perceived educational value.

Findings

Online course participation increases perceived value.

Older individuals and females favor online education.

Highly educated individuals are less inclined towards online courses.

Abstract

Education has traditionally been classroom-oriented with a gradual growth of online courses in recent times. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the shift to online classes. Associated with this learning format is the question: what do people think about the educational value of an online course compared to a course taken in-person in a classroom? This paper addresses the question and presents a Bayesian quantile analysis of public opinion using a nationally representative survey data from the United States. Our findings show that previous participation in online courses and full-time employment status favor the educational value of online courses. We also find that the older demographic and females have a greater propensity for online education. In contrast, highly educated individuals have a lower willingness towards online education vis-\`a-vis traditional classes. Besides, covariate effects show heterogeneity across quantiles which cannot be captured using probit or logit models.