The Benefit of Providing Face-to-Face Lectures in Online Learning Microeconomics Courses: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design Experiment

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of attending face-to-face lectures on examination performance in online Intermediate Microeconomics courses using a regression discontinuity experimental approach. The instructor implemented a policy requiring students who scored below the class mean on the first exam to attend four face-to-face lectures before the second exam. The estimation results show that, on the average, attending face-to-face lectures does not improve online learning students` examination performance. However, for the group of students who did not or chose not to access online course materials, attending face-to-face lectures did produce a significant and positive effect on their grades. As revealed from this study, offering face-to-face lecture options to online learning students requires more resources but does not significantly improve students` examination performance. In order to enhance students learning particular for low performing students, a cost effective policy option might not be requiring students to attend face-to- face lectures but discovering ways to encourage or require students accessing pre-recorded lectures.