Saying that online learning doesn't work and is terrible really is on par with saying masks don't work. We all know this is not a person who grounds himself in facts or data or values expertise, but someone needs to make an effort to get facts on the record. So here we go ... 1/x https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1281554061972692994

There are not just a few studies on online but hundreds, and there are 3 major meta-analyses as well as some additional smaller ones. The data shows that students perform as well as or slightly better than students in classrooms, but there's a lot of important nuance under there.

first, the meta-analysis citations for anyone who cares to read anymore:
Bernard, Abrami, Lou, Borokhovski, Wade, Wozney, Wallet, Fiset & Wong (2004);
U.S. Department of Education (2010);
Zhao, Lei, Yan, Lai & Tan (2005)

What we *really* found is that it's not the technology that makes a difference but the design - and there are a LOT of variables that go into that design. Means, Bakia & Murphy (2014) summarize the research and identify 33 variables - which can all be mixed in different configs.

Some of these variables are simply options while others have a dramatic effect - especially instructional strategies, degree and type of feedback, and degree and types of interaction. INTERACTION in online has been studied so much we also have a meta-analysis on THAT:

Bernard, Abrami, Borokhovski, Wade, Tamim, Surkes & Bethel (2009)
In short, it shows that online courses with moderate to high levels of learner-learner, learner-instructor, and learner-content interaction do evidence both an increase in learning and in satisfaction.

What this tweet and so many others new to online and discussions about it don't know about is that not only have we studied this for years, but we've dismissed the version question by now of comparing online to classroom-based learning - so called "media comparison studies."

Reputable journals in the field won't publish such comparison studies. I have a whole thread on media comparison studies from February 2020 that seems a bit prescient now: https://twitter.com/steph_moore/status/1225442125329858560?s=20

Even if Spring 2020 were some sort of grand comparison between classroom-based and online, it would be the suckiest research design ever - no scientist worth their salt would look at that design and say, "yeah, I can reliably draw conclusions from this."

We all know what we witnessed: it was not the failure of online but of leadership. Online learning works just fine when you make the proper resources investments and allow time for development. Many leaders ignored advice of experts to plan ahead - and from the top down were

caught completely unprepared when a crisis hit.

Making online learning your whipping boy for your own failure to plan is disingenuous and really is vacuous leadership. This is deflection of failure onto an inanimate object. It's extremely silly when you stop to think about it.

We all also know that what we witnessed was not a plan in motion but an emergency in motion. Educators around the globe rushed to figure out a quick fix to make *something* work in the face of a pandemic. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning

As with the pandemic itself, what we have done in the meantime is squandered precious time and lessons learned - AGAIN. Fall is going to look no different. That's not the fault of a medium. We're the ones with agency. That's going to be our own damn faults - starting at the top.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to working on materials helping educators employ evidence-anchored practices in their online courses for the fall.

"If you care, get the facts" - Dale Brethower (how he signs his emails)

PS - just one great resource among many:
https://openlearning.mit.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/TheScienceofRemoteLearning.pdf

For concerns about making online more social, get Culturally Inclusive Instructional Design by Gunawardena, Frechette, and Layne - good coverage of great ideas.

I'm also creating a 6-page quick reference guide with tips and strategies, will share once that gets published.