(STUDY FINDS) -- ITHACA, N.Y. — The recent coronavirus pandemic has forced students to take to virtual online classrooms to complete their coursework. Even though it may take time for students to adjust to this new format, their education might not suffer, especially if they are in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.
A new study led by Cornell University researchers shows that STEM students learn just as much in online classrooms as they do in traditional in-person classes. Online courses might be less satisfying than in-person classes, but many more students can access them and they are much cheaper to facilitate.
The study’s authors wanted to know if it was more practical to bring STEM courses online. Research shows that there is a shortage of STEM professionals, and this is causing the global economy to slow down. This is no surprise given the immense cost of a high quality STEM education and the shortage of qualified instructors.