Abstract:

This study explores how the change from a synchronous virtual teaching environment to a face-to-face one is related to the academic performance of university students. For this purpose, a lab-in-the-field experiment with undergraduate students was conducted, and a difference-in-differences model was estimated. Participants in the experiment were asked to respond to a knowledge test that allowed us to compare their academic performance in the return to face-to-face teaching after the end of restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find evidence of moderately lower knowledge test performance for university students who received virtual classes than face-to-face classes, with average test scores 3.4% lower but not statistically significant. Therefore, synchronous virtual teaching is not more or less effective than face-to-face classroom learning. Results support the idea that implementing different teaching modalities that allow greater flexibility is an alternative that may not necessarily compromise students' academic performance.

Keywords:

Teaching modality, field experiment, COVID-19, higher education, differences in differences.