A new analysis in Production and Operations Management studies the sudden 2020 shift from classroom teaching to online learning for Chinese college students during the COVID-19 lockdown. The research team, led by Shijie Lu of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business with Xintong Han, Shane Wang and Nan Cui, matched more than 15,000 course records from nearly 8,000 students at nine universities to compare grades before and during the lockdown.
Overall results depended on course type and local lockdown policies. Reasoning-based courses, notably mathematics, showed clear gains: undergraduates improved "about eight to 11 points on a 100-point scale," which the authors attribute to features of the online format such as pausing lectures, rewatching examples and self-paced practice. Discussion-driven classes like English gained far less, since discussion and interpretation proved harder to reproduce virtually.
The team used rigorous econometric methods to isolate the impact of online instruction. They report that strict stay-at-home orders increased psychological stress and reduced the effectiveness of virtual learning, while some policies partly offset this harm. For example, workplace closures and parents being home more often helped students maintain focus and a structured schedule, and reduced public transport limited social distractions.
The study advises educators to design online courses that use digital tools—interactive exercises and on-demand videos—rather than simply moving lectures to video calls. Lu concludes that, contrary to the widespread belief that online education is less effective, online instruction can outperform face-to-face teaching in quantitative subjects when it is planned well, and that programs need flexibility to match course material and students’ home situations.
Difficult words
- reasoning-based — courses that focus on logical thinking and problem solving
- discussion-driven — classes that depend on discussion and interpretation
- self-paced — students work at their own speed
- econometric — statistical methods used to study economic data
- isolate — separate the effect of one factor alone
- psychological stress — mental pressure or strong worry affecting behavior
- offset — reduce or balance the negative effect of something
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could teachers adapt a discussion-driven class like English to work better online? Give two concrete ideas.
- What home situations might make online learning more or less effective for students? Give examples based on the article.
- Do you think online instruction can replace face-to-face teaching for quantitative subjects? Why or why not?
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