A study of the influence of online courses on grading

The researchers in this study compared the grade point averages of students in an online Master's program with a comparable cohort who previously participated in a face-to-face program. The researchers found that overall GPAs were significantly lower in the online program. Some possible reasons regarding the differences found included faculty employment status, adjunct or full time; the desire of some faculty to be liked by students; adequate faculty training; students who lacked organizational skills and had limited proficiency when using technology. Also noted was a larger variability in overall online grades, with a substantial number of lower achievers in the online cohort. The lack of a direct personal relationship between faculty and students is also a consideration and has implications for both actual achievement and perceived achievement as reflected in grading. Clearly, more research is needed, especially considering the expanding presence of online programs.