Evaluating instructional modalities in an undergraduate special education course
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Online instruction has increased dramatically over the past twenty years in higher education. There have been numerous studies completed investigating the differences between online and face-to-face instruction, however results have remained inconsistent and in some cases contradictory. Absent from the literature are studies investigating education courses and studies that collect both quantitative and qualitative data together. The purpose of the study was to determine if the learning modalities provide equitable learning opportunities for students regardless of the instructional modality and to provide information about how to make the course more effective. The study investigated the differences between online and face-to-face students’ achievement scores and perceptions of the course. The study utilized a mixed methods design in order to incorporate both the quantitative and qualitative data collected. Collected data showed that though there was no significant difference in students’ achievement scores, students reported differences in their experiences in the class based on their instructional modality.