Abstract:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most Japanese universities adopted real-time meeting systems such as Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams to deliver lectures. Following the pandemic, many institutions resumed face-to-face classes in 2022. However, some instructors and students continued to prefer online classes due to their convenience. This raises an important question: Are in-person classes more effective for learning than online classes? Based on this, our hypothesis is that conducting practical computer classes online may negatively affect students’ learning outcomes and engagement. The objective of this study is to examine differences in learning outcomes between real-time online classes and in-person classes.

The research was conducted from April 2021 to March 2024 in a basic computer course. The course content included instruction on Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as HTML and JavaScript programming. Real-time online lectures were delivered from April 2021 to March 2022, after which the format transitioned to face-to-face instruction beginning in April 2022.

Learning outcomes were assessed using three indicators: academic scores, learning engagement levels (categorized into six levels), and classroom community strength (comprising two factors: connectedness and learning). Pass rates were calculated using data from all enrolled students, while academic score analysis was based on data from students who passed: 89 in 2021, 110 in 2022, and 101 in 2023. Differences in engagement levels and classroom community strength were analyzed using questionnaire responses, with 30 responses collected from online classes and 34 from in-person classes.

Independent t-tests revealed no significant differences in academic scores or learning engagement levels between the two formats. However, the pass rate for real-time online classes was significantly lower than that for in-person classes. Furthermore, the connectedness factor of the Classroom Community Scale was significantly lower in online classes compared to in-person classes.

In conclusion, while academic scores did not differ significantly between formats, both pass rates and classroom connectedness were lower in online classes. These findings suggest that although online lectures may be acceptable for practical computer courses when considering academic performance alone, they may negatively impact student retention and sense of community.

Keywords:

Learning outcomes, real-time online, computer class, engagement, classroom community.