Does Online Learning Work In Any Field? Researchers Tested Outcomes In An Online Public Speaking Course
Ten years ago, many educators believed online courses would be as effective as face-to-face (FTF) courses. Those attitudes have melted and few people still believe that online learning is less effective than learning in a traditional classroom. But pockets of skepticism remain—especially in certain areas of study. One of these is public speaking. Many universities in the United States require students to complete a public speaking course over the course of their undergraduate studies. Some have argued that one simply can’t complete a public speaking course online. After all, the medium is the message. Recently, a group of researchers at George Mason University led by Professor Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post tested whether or not this was demonstrably true. The results of their study were surprising.
