Is online learning inherently inferior to in-person classes?
I've taught online courses for three semesters now, and the data is clear: my students' average final grades dropped by 7% compared to in-person classes, with the biggest decline among freshman who lack self-discipline. But I also see how online learning opens doors—one of my best students is a single mother who could never attend evening lectures on campus. The question is whether we should keep pushing universities toward remote education as the default option, or treat it as a temporary fallback that should be phased out as soon as safe. What do you think: should online learning be a permanent part of higher education, or is it inherently inferior to being in a physical classroom? I've seen both sides, and I'm genuinely torn—maybe it's not either/or, but I can't help wondering if we're sacrificing quality for accessibility.