Online Versus Classroom-Based Instruction: A Comparative Study of Learning Outcomes in a Diversity Course

Abstract

This study compares the learning outcomes of a traditional, classroom-based course and an online section of the same course on the attitudes and knowledge students have regarding gay men and lesbians. The study was conducted in two sections of an undergraduate social work course entitled lesbian and gay lives. The study found that online and traditional teaching modalities were equally effective in achieving course objectives. Students in both sections had more favorable attitudes towards lesbians and gay men at the conclusion of the course than they did at the start of the course. Implications of online teaching for social work education and recommendations for further research are presented.