courses in online education

Harvard and MIT’s $800 Million Mistake

Harvard and MIT’s $800 Million Mistake: The Triple Failure of 2U, edX, and Axim Collaborative

The future of Coursera’s only credible alternative for universities rests in the hands of 2U’s creditors.

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Education & Teaching Courses and Certifications

Learn Education & Teaching, earn certificates with paid and free online courses from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, University of Pennsylvania and other top universities around the world. Read reviews to decide if a class is right for you.

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Educación de calidad para todos: equidad, inclusión y atención a la diversidad

Aprenderás cómo debería ser un sistema educativo que promueva la inclusión y la calidad sin renunciar a la excelencia ni a la equidad y cómo puedes llevarlo a la práctica.

• 6 weeks, 3-5 hours a week
• Free Online Course (Audit)

Leaders of Learning

Explore and understand your own theories of learning and leadership. Gain the tools to imagine and build the future of learning.

• 10 weeks, 2-4 hours a week

Introduction to Family Engagement in Education

Learn about successful collaborations between families and educators and why they lead to improved outcomes for students and schools.

• 6 weeks, 2-4 hours a week

Integridad académica en la educación digital

Conoce la importancia de la integridad académica, los aspectos, generalidades y medios de aplicación en la educación digital.

• 4 weeks, 3-4 hours a week

Mathematics Teaching Ideas for the Common Core - Jo Boaler

Explore evidence-based strategies to engage students with Common Core mathematics, including growth mindset techniques, mathematical discussions, and innovative assessment methods.

• Free Online Course

American Education Reform: History, Policy, Practice

Explore the history, policy, and practice of American education reform in this 8-week course from the University of Pennsylvania. Discover the key actors, decisions, and turning points that have shaped the education system, and understand how social forc…

Disability Inclusion in Education: Building Systems of Support

Explore strategies for inclusive education, focusing on supporting teachers to meet the needs of learners with severe to profound hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities.

• 14 hours 20 minutes

Progettare l'Innovazione Didattica

Esplora l'innovazione didattica attraverso risultati di apprendimento, valutazione, modelli pedagogici e reti di apprendimento attive per migliorare l'insegnamento e l'apprendimento.

• Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE

Academic Information Seeking

Comprehensive guide to academic information seeking, covering search strategies, evaluation techniques, and ethical practices for effective research and citation.

• 6 hours 9 minutes

Modelli di insegnamento nella ricerca educativa

La pedagogia è una disciplina affascinante che riflette sull'educazione e sull'insegnamento. In questo corso si ripercorrono i modelli di formazione tradizionali e attuali, ed il concetto di educabilità.

• 6 weeks, 4-6 hours a week

Uncommon Sense Teaching

You’ll discover why you should help students use two different neural routes to help them be both flexible and fast in their learning.

• 15 hours 37 minutes

Saving Schools: Reforming the U.S. Education System

An overview of the past, present, and future of the United States public K-12 education system.

• 10 weeks, 3-5 hours a week

Learning and Learners

Understand learners, policy and practice with this continuing professional development course for English language teachers.

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• 4 weeks, 2 hours a week
• Paid Course

The Classroom and the World

Explore 21st-century skills, ICT and multilingual approaches with this English language teaching professional development course.

Lessons and Teaching

Look at lessons, courses and resources with this continuing professional development course for English language teachers.

• 6 weeks, 2 hours a week

Never Stop Learning.

Get personalized course recommendations, track subjects and courses with reminders, and more.

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Get an introduction to the products, tools and tips that can help you build an online presence for your small business.

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Learn online, at your own pace, with a library of training made to help strengthen your business with digital skills.

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Manage how your business shows up on Google Search and Maps to help new customers find you more easily.

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Welcome to MOOC.org

MOOC.org is an extension of edX.org, a leader in online courses. Whether you're interested in learning for yourself, leveraging online courses to educate your workforce, or creating a MOOC, edX can help.

About MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses available for anyone to enroll. MOOCs provide an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills, advance your career and deliver quality educational experiences at scale.

Millions of people around the world use MOOCs to learn for a variety of reasons, including: career development, changing careers, college preparations, supplemental learning, lifelong learning, corporate eLearning & training, and more.

MOOCs have dramatically changed the way the world learns. Ready to get started?

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Harvard Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Create a collaborative learning environment.

Explore Higher Education Teaching and its practices offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning to create an engaging learning environment.

What You'll Learn

The Higher Education Teaching Certificate, inspired by the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, provides you with effective postsecondary education teaching methods. Over eight weeks, you’ll engage deeply with, and reflect on, your practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education field. Guided by experts, you’ll explore various approaches to pedagogy, discover the most relevant research on how students learn, and broaden your range of teaching skills. Learn how to adopt a more conscious, collaborative, and refined approach to your teaching practice. 

The course will be delivered via Get Smarter .  By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply rapport-building techniques to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive postsecondary education learning environment
• Deliver an effective, memorable lesson that bridges the knowledge gap between yourself and your students
• Raise your institutional profile as a reflective teacher through effective third-level education teaching practices
• Implement practical strategies for classroom management and lesson planning

VIEW COURSE BROCHURE

Your Instructors

Robert A. Lue

Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University Read full bio.

Adam Beaver

Director of Pedagogy and Practice, The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University Read full bio.

Pamela Pollock

Director of Professional Development, The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University Read full bio.

David Levari

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Harvard Business School Read full bio. 

Course Outline

• Orientation module: Welcome to your Online Campus
• Module 1: How knowledge is constructed
• Module 2: How learning works
• Module 3: Building rapport
• Module 4: Lesson planning and delivery
• Module 5: Engaging students
• Module 6: Course and assignment design
• Module 7: Using feedback to improve your teaching
• Module 8: Teaching portfolio preparation

Learner Testimonial

“This course strengthened my approach to become a more reflective practitioner who employs the latest evidence-based practices in order to serve diverse learners. It provided much-needed pause and reflection as an integral part of my professional development. I refined my tools as an experienced educator, added new tools to my repertoire as a practitioner, and connected with professionals working in similar fields. We spent countless hours giving each other feedback and offering perspectives on materials presented by the instructors. The platform was easy to navigate and well-designed, utilizing the latest evidence-based principles for teaching and learning in the information age.”

Octaviano Merecias-Cuevas OHSU Lead Trainer, Center for Diversity and Inclusion

Earn Your Certificate

Enroll today in Harvard Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate on GetSmarter.

Still Have Questions?

What are the learning requirements? How do I list my certificate on my resume? Learn the answers to these and more in our FAQs.

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Examine best practices in child and family policies, advocacy, financing, and pathways to scale.

Introduction to Data Wise: A Collaborative Process to Improve Learning & Teaching

Learn what is involved in using data wisely to build a culture of collaborative inquiry. 

Questions at the Core: Extending the Question Formulation Technique to Sustain an Inquiry-based Culture in Schools

Strengthen and refine your inquiry aptitude.

Universal Design for Learning: Explore

Develop a deeper understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to design learning environments for engaging, meaningful experiences for all students.

Harvard Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate

Explore Higher Education Teaching and its practices offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. Learn to create a collaborative, engaging learning environment.

Leading Teacher Teams: Promoting Growth Through Effective Collaboration

Examine strategies for facilitating and empowering groups of educators by developing a deeper understanding of the needs of adult learners and learning to use collaboration to foster educator growth and enhance student learning.

Teachers Mentoring Teachers: Practices for Powerful Professional Communities

Explore mentoring relationships at different stages of a career in teaching, aiming to uncover practices that are specific to the teaching profession and to name what makes them so effective

Articulating the Intangibles of Teaching: Aligning Your Purpose and Practice for Instructional Leadership

Join a community of peers to excavate the intangibles of teaching, aligning mission, vision, methods, decisions, and student work in a comprehensive, personal language of practice.

Effective Classroom Management: A CEEL Module

Effective Classroom Management is a module within the Certificate in Early Education Leadership: Series 3, Learn C

Leveraging Diversity for Improvement: A CEEL Module

Leveraging Diversity for Improvement is a module within the Certificate in Early Education Leadership: Series 2, Learn C

Stress, Adversity, and Trauma: A CEEL Module

Stress, Adversity, and Trauma is a module within the Certificate in Early Education Leadership: Series 1, Learn C

Bravely Confronting Racism in Higher Education

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Teaching Students to Ask Their Own Questions: Best Practices in the Question Formulation Technique

This workshop will provide an in-depth exploration of key components to successfully apply the Question Formulation Technique (QFT).

Effective Teams: A CEEL Module

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Teaching, B.A. (Online)

• Learning Outcomes
• Requirements
• Contact Info

The Teaching, B.A. online option provides flexibility for students who are currently working in schools as paraprofessionals, long-term substitutes or other classroom support roles who can apply their learning to their day-to-day work in schools.

Students will have the support of a tight-knit community of faculty and peers committed to innovative learning, diversity and the Jesuit tradition's intellectual ideas. This program focuses on equity guided by inquiry for the purpose of advocacy.

The online delivery and accelerated design allow students to complete coursework with structured supports, like instructional coaches to assist students in applying their learning in their daily activities.  

Other program highlights include:

• Students engage in online coursework and have the support of instructional coaches who help translate course learning to the daily practices in schools.
• Students are prepared to practice cura personalis , care for the whole person, and work for social justice in their communities.
• Students will graduate prepared to bring innovative strategies into their classrooms, build strong classroom communities and have high expectations for all students while advocating for social change.

Curriculum Overview

SLU’s B.A. in teaching consists of a minimum of 60 credits (depending on the certification area) including the Undergraduate Core and education coursework.

Students choose from two different concentrations within the teaching major:

Elementary Education (Grades 1 to 6)

The elementary education program of study prepares reflective practitioners to become teachers in diverse elementary classrooms focusing on social justice and equity. Throughout your time in the elementary education in teaching program, you will build a solid foundation in education, engage with current ideas in education and develop leadership qualities including risk-taking, civic responsibility and ethical character. Graduates leave the program highly qualified and well-prepared to be reflective, ethical and responsive teachers who are committed to making the world more equitable and just through their work in schools, with families/caregivers, and in the communities they serve.

Dual Certification in Elementary Education and Special Education

Students who elect the dual certification track will complete coursework in both elementary education and special education. This track requires a minimum of 75 credit hours.

The special education program of study prepares you to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities across various school settings. Coursework and extensive field experience equip you with the most impactful and effective skills for leading inclusive classrooms and collaborating with professionals in the field and the community. The program’s strengths-based/assets-based approach to teaching focuses on preparing highly competent, reflective professionals who understand the strengths and potential of every child in every family and advocate for quality, accessible education for all.

As a graduate of this program, you will leave with the tools and skills needed to create safe and inclusive learning environments for all students and be prepared to serve in roles such as:

• Special education teacher
• Resource program teaching
• Intervention specialist
• Learning disabilities special education teacher
• Inclusion special education teacher

A degree in education offers a wide range of career opportunities. While most graduates pursue a career in teaching, some choose to continue their studies in graduate programs while in the workforce.

• Public or private schools
• Alternative schools
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Education centers (museums, zoos)
• Non-profit organizations

Job placement rates are high for graduates who have a degree in education. You can find immediate work when you graduate. Salaries can vary depending on where you live.

All students will engage in fieldwork within their school of employment. Fieldwork takes place in the fall and spring terms to coincide with school sessions.

Admission Requirements

Students admitted into this program must meet the following requirements:

• Have an associate’s degree (we anticipate applicants will not hold an applied sciences associate which would require additional coursework);
• Agree to take the MOGEA (if taken prior to July 2024) or the ETS Praxis (July 2024 or later) during the first year of the program or have an ACT score of 21; (the MoGEA will change in year two to a nationally normed ETS Praxis), and
• Provide a letter of sponsorship from their current school system employer.

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

Net Price Calculator

Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Students entering into the program starting Summer 2024 will be eligible for full tuition scholarship. 

The learner and learning: The teacher has high expectations for each and every learner and implements developmentally appropriate, challenging learning experiences within a variety of learning environments that help all learners meet high standards and reach their full potential.

Content: The teacher has a deep and flexible understanding of their content areas and is able to draw upon content knowledge as they work with learners to access information, apply knowledge in real-world settings and address meaningful issues to assure learner mastery of the content.  

Instructional practice: Teachers understand and integrate assessment, planning, and instructional strategies in coordinated and engaging ways.

Professional responsibility: Teachers demonstrate leadership by modeling ethical behavior, contributing to positive changes in practice and advancing their profession.

Continuation Standards

To remain in the Teacher Certification program students must maintain a 2.75 or better cumulative GPA (in all courses, not just education courses) as well as a 3.0 GPA in their content area. 

A student must receive a minimum grade of “C” in each professional education course required for certification by the Missouri State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. A “C-” is not acceptable. If a grade below a “C” (C-, D, or F) is received, the student will be placed on program probation or academic probation. Probation will be lifted when a student has received a “C” grade (or higher) for the course, provided the course in question has not been repeated more than one time. If the course in which the student did not receive a passing score is a prerequisite to a future course the student may not enroll in the future course until the prerequisite course has been completed and passed with a grade of “C” or higher.

Non-Course Requirements

Missouri general education assessment (mogea) or ets praxis.

The Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA) measures student's current knowledge in the following 5 areas: English, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Students must earn a passing score on all 5 sub-tests. Beginning July 2024, the requirement will shift to successful completion of the ETS Praxis.  Passing Scores Established by Educator Preparation Programs

ETS Praxis Completed at the End of the Program (Elementary or Elementary plus Special Education depending upon certification area selected by the student).

Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES)

The Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) is a performance-based assessment. The purpose of the MEES is to assess the instructional capability of teacher candidates before licensure. This evaluation is required for teacher certification. Teacher candidates must have a minimum combined summative score (from a University Supervisor and Cooperating Teacher) of a minimum combined summative score of 42 points (with no zero scores), as well as artifacts (via products or performance) illustrating teacher candidates’ knowledge.

Employment in good standing in a school or school district during program enrollment

This program is designed to be a paid teacher apprenticeship program in partnership with employing schools and/or districts. Candidates must be able to provide instruction to students on an ongoing basis to complete the requirements of the program. 

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

The following roadmaps are assuming students come in with a completed associate's degree or ~60 credits of transfer coursework. Students will need to fulfill all Undergraduate Core requirements at SLU or through transfer coursework. 

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Purdue’s online data science master’s addresses burgeoning demand for trained data scientists

The interdisciplinary degree is accessible for working professionals from both technical and nontechnical backgrounds

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Data scientists who can make sense of today’s epic floods of data to generate actionable insights and communicate them to a variety of audiences are in demand in almost any field, from retail business and industry to health care, government, education, and more.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs for data scientists will grow 36% by 2031. Nationally, there were nearly 125,000 data scientist jobs added from 2013-2023. Yet many of those jobs — with many more openings coming — went unfilled for a lack of trained data scientists. The bottom line: Nearly every industry today requires data scientists, and the number of these positions is expected to grow.

Purdue University’s new 100% online Master of Science in data science degree addresses the need and the high demand for a trained data science workforce that can harness the power of data to drive innovation, efficiency and competitiveness. The interdisciplinary master’s program is designed for working professionals with a technical background but includes a pathway to entry for professionals from nontechnical fields.

“This data science master’s program is specifically designed for online delivery and optimal online learning, making it accessible to professionals around the world,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, Purdue senior vice president for partnerships and online. “The interdisciplinary curriculum is diverse, customizable to a student’s needs and tailored for practical application immediately.”

Purdue’s online master’s in data science features core courses covering foundations of data science, machine learning and data mining, big data technologies and tools, data analysis, and data visualization and communication.

Students do a capstone project pairing them with an industry mentor and a collaborative team to manage a data science project from inception to completion. That includes developing project timelines, allocating resources and adapting strategies based on the project’s evolution. The capstone, modeled after curriculum from The Data Mine , Purdue’s award-winning data science learning community, is an opportunity to apply knowledge acquired throughout the master’s program to solve complex, real-world problems.

The online master’s program also features the opportunity to earn industry-aligned certificates along the way to earning a master’s degree. Options include education, leadership, and policy; smart mobility and smart transportation; data science in finance; spatial data science; geospatial information science; managing information technology projects; IT business analysis; and applied statistics.

The program was developed by an interdisciplinary cohort of expert faculty from Purdue’s flagship campus, including the colleges of Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts, Pharmacy, Science, and Veterinary Medicine, along with the Mitch Daniels School of Business, the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the Purdue Libraries, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars.

“Purdue’s new online MS in data science program leverages the real-world experience of faculty working across several distinct disciplines,” said Timothy Keaton, assistant professor of practice in Purdue’s Department of Statistics, who was involved in developing the new degree. “This cooperation between experts in the application of data science in diverse fields provides a great opportunity to create engaging and meaningful coursework that incorporates many different potential areas of interest for our students.”

Students will develop expertise in programming languages, gaining the ability to design and implement data-driven solutions; learn to apply advanced technologies, including cloud computing and big data frameworks, to effectively handle and process large-scale datasets; gain a deep understanding of machine learning algorithms and models, applying them to real-world scenarios; and become proficient in collecting, cleaning, and analyzing diverse datasets.

The curriculum also is designed to teach learners data visualization and communication methods for creating compelling visual representations of complex data to effectively convey insights, along with the application of storytelling techniques to communicate findings clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences. The program covers adherence to ethical standards in data science, privacy, transparency and fairness as well.

The program draws on Purdue’s expertise in myriad aspects of data science. Known for its emphasis on practical programs with proven value, Purdue has been rated among the Top 10 Most Innovative Schools for six years running by U.S. News & World Report and is the No. 8 public university in the U.S. according to the latest QS World University Rankings.

“The breadth and depth of topics that data science encompasses necessitate graduate programs that incorporate expertise from a variety of disciplines and then integrate this into a curriculum to meet the needs of its students,” said John Springer, a Purdue computer and information technology professor who was involved in developing the new degree. “Purdue’s unique approach to the development and delivery of its new online master’s program wholly fulfills these requirements by utilizing a highly interdisciplinary team of Purdue faculty backed by Purdue’s outstanding team of instructional designers.”

For more information about Purdue’s 100% online Master of Science in data science degree, visit the program website .

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives .

Media contact: Brian Huchel, [email protected]

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What’s the Difference Between Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning?

How do online classes work? We tapped online learning experts to explain the pros and cons of synchronous vs. asynchronous learning.

As you research the right online program for you, you may come across the terms “asynchronous” and “synchronous.” You might not know what these words mean yet, but you’re probably already considering your work schedule and other responsibilities and how well each program would fit into your life. Are you able to log on and attend classes at specific times? Or is it more realistic for you to complete work each week at times that suit you best – no matter if it’s 3 p.m. or 3 a.m.? ​And, how do online classes even work?

Here’s what you should know: Asynchronous online learning allows students to view instructional materials each week at any time they choose and does not include a live video lecture component. On the other hand, synchronous online learning means that students are required to log in and participate in class at a specific time each week. The main difference between asynchronous learning and synchronous learning is this live instruction component occurring at a set time. We’ll describe more differences in the sections below, as well as some of the pros, cons and best practices of each style.

We tapped Ohio State experts to explain the difference between asynchronous and synchronous learning and what each style actually means when it comes to online classes.

What is asynchronous learning?

Asynchronous learning allows you to learn on your own schedule, within a certain timeframe. You can access and complete lectures, readings, homework and other learning materials at any time during a one- or two-week period.

“A big benefit to asynchronous classes is, of course, the flexibility.  Asynchronous online classes mean that you don’t always need to be online at the same time as your instructor or classmates,” said Instructional Designer John Muir, who works with faculty to develop classes for  Ohio State’s online programs . “We know that students who are looking to take an entire program online are partially looking for that flexibility.”

Online asynchronous classes might include short videos teaching key concepts that you can watch over and over again, if necessary. In some classes, students can also complete homework assignments and receive immediate feedback, as opposed to waiting for instructors to grade them.

But don’t get the idea that asynchronous classes are any less rigorous than their synchronous or on-campus counterparts.

“Just like a student on campus, you should expect to be doing work one week at a time,” Muir said. “You should also expect to have contact with your instructor and classmates every week in a substantial way.”

For example, in HTHRHSC 4300: Contemporary Topics in Health and Society, a capstone course in the  B.S. in Health Sciences program , students do most of their work according to their own schedules. However, they also sort themselves into groups based on schedule and availability, meeting weekly via video conferencing to collaborate on a research project that spans the semester.

What is synchronous learning?

Synchronous learning means that although you will be learning from a distance, you will virtually attend a class session each week, at the same time as your instructor and classmates. The class is a firm, weekly time commitment that cannot be rescheduled. Much like an on-campus class, you will have readings and assignments to complete outside of class time to help prepare you to participate in the discussion. This kind of preparation from students, along with a dedicated agenda set by the instructor, ensures each class session is productive.

“A lot of careful planning and set up ahead of time makes those sessions into meaningful connections,” Muir said. “If the students can do it, and it’s thought through well by instructors, it can be a really powerful thing to add.”

Online synchronous learning doesn’t always just take the form of a live video lecture or an instructor-led discussion. Often, students will lead discussions themselves or give presentations to the rest of the class. In an online class, group work doesn’t go away, it just looks a little different. Muir explains that some instructors will pose case studies to students, who then have to negotiate an answer first as a small group and then together, as a class. Specific types of activities included in a synchronous course depend on the course and the program.

“There’s a lot of discipline-specific, really active things that go on in those sessions that aren’t just the equivalent of a recorded lecture,” Muir said. “It really is the same as doing some sort of activity in the classroom, just in a virtual setting.”

Ohio State’s  Doctor of Nursing Practice program  is one example of a program with synchronous online class requirements. One of the classes, NURSPRCT 8600: Organizational Culture, requires that students attend weekly evening class sessions using  CarmenZoom . Class discussion and interaction with the instructor occurs mainly during these meetings, with homework and readings available at any time in  CarmenCanvas, Ohio State’s online learning management system .

How can I be successful in an online class?

No matter if your program is mostly asynchronous or synchronous, Muir reminds students to be deliberate with their time in order to be successful.

“In an online program, you really have to be respectful of yourself and plan your time and efforts,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in a synchronous or an asynchronous class, you need to know to block off your time to accomplish those things.”

Vivian Jones, M.Ed., academic advisor, says she often works with students who aren’t sure how synchronous or asynchronous classes will fit into their lives. To start with, knowing yourself and your own limitations is key to making decisions regarding your education.

“Remember that an online degree program itself is time-consuming,” Jones said. “Consider how you will manage a work-school-life balance. There is a lot of self-discipline involved.”

Jones said she also hears from students who fear they’ll feel disconnected or disengaged in an asynchronous, online course.

To combat feelings of isolation, Jones recommends students always reach out to their instructors and classmates and attempt to make meaningful connections.

“Respond to discussion posts and find people with similar interests to you or people doing things you don’t even know about, so you can maybe learn more about them,” she said. “Make relationships just as you would in a physical classroom.”

In an online class, student engagement needs to be more purposeful than an in-person class, where engagement may take place more naturally, but it’s crucial to ensure all students feel invested in their coursework.

“With online learning, student engagement is just different,” Jones said. “I see instructors in online classes really making an effort to make things personable and make people feel included. We’re trying to bring everyone together as one community, because online students are part of the Ohio State community.”

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DMV Introduces Chinese Language Option for No-Fail eLearning Driver’s License Renewal Course

Contact:  Office of Public Affairs 2415 First Avenue Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 657–6437 |  [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 29, 2024

New Option Expands Accessibility to Mandarin-Speaking Californians

Sacramento – The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today announced the expansion of its no-fail eLearning driver’s license renewal course, now available in Traditional Chinese with audio in Mandarin. This new language option offers Mandarin-speaking Californians the opportunity to renew their driver’s license with greater ease and convenience.

The eLearning course, previously available in English and Spanish, can be accessed 24/7 on any internet-enabled device, including computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. The course consists of seven interactive modules, each followed by a quiz, all of which can be retaken multiple times, ensuring a no-fail experience.

“Expanding our services to include a Chinese language option is part of our ongoing commitment to serve all Californians,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “We are dedicated to providing flexible and accessible options for DMV services, allowing our customers to complete their transactions when, where, and how it is most convenient for them.”

Since its introduction in 2022, the eLearning renewal course has become a popular choice among Californians, with nearly 50,000 participants completing the course each month. The course takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and is designed to accommodate individuals who may prefer a non-traditional learning method or who may have difficulty with standard exams. Upon completion, some customers may need to visit a DMV office to finalize their renewal by taking a photo, providing a thumbprint and undergoing a vision screening.

In addition to the eLearning course, the DMV continues to offer its online knowledge test in 35 languages. The online test can be taken on a computer or laptop with a webcam and is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding state holidays. Participants are required to verify their identity and agree to monitoring throughout the exam as a measure to prevent fraud.

Before Going to an Office – Try Online First!

The DMV has taken many steps to offer more digital services. Most DMV tasks do not require an office visit, including simple self-service transactions that are no longer available in offices. The DMV encourages customers to use its  online services  and other service channels to complete transactions, including eligible driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals. Customers can also use the  Service Advisor  on the DMV website to learn their options to complete DMV tasks.

To sign up for paperless vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal notices, customers must sign in or create a secure online account at  dmv.ca.gov , and then opt in.

Sign up to receive the latest DMV News Alerts:  DMV NEWS ALERTS – California DMV

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The content currently in English is the official and accurate source for the program information and services DMV provides. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the information contained in the translated content, please refer to the English version.

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• Published: 26 August 2024

Learning effect of online versus onsite education in health and medical scholarship – protocol for a cluster randomized trial

• Rie Raffing 1 ,
• Lars Konge 2 &
• Hanne Tønnesen 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  927 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

123 Accesses

Metrics details

The disruption of health and medical education by the COVID-19 pandemic made educators question the effect of online setting on students’ learning, motivation, self-efficacy and preference. In light of the health care staff shortage online scalable education seemed relevant. Reviews on the effect of online medical education called for high quality RCTs, which are increasingly relevant with rapid technological development and widespread adaption of online learning in universities. The objective of this trial is to compare standardized and feasible outcomes of an online and an onsite setting of a research course regarding the efficacy for PhD students within health and medical sciences: Primarily on learning of research methodology and secondly on preference, motivation, self-efficacy on short term and academic achievements on long term. Based on the authors experience with conducting courses during the pandemic, the hypothesis is that student preferred onsite setting is different to online setting.

Cluster randomized trial with two parallel groups. Two PhD research training courses at the University of Copenhagen are randomized to online (Zoom) or onsite (The Parker Institute, Denmark) setting. Enrolled students are invited to participate in the study. Primary outcome is short term learning. Secondary outcomes are short term preference, motivation, self-efficacy, and long-term academic achievements. Standardized, reproducible and feasible outcomes will be measured by tailor made multiple choice questionnaires, evaluation survey, frequently used Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, Single Item Self-Efficacy Question, and Google Scholar publication data. Sample size is calculated to 20 clusters and courses are randomized by a computer random number generator. Statistical analyses will be performed blinded by an external statistical expert.

Primary outcome and secondary significant outcomes will be compared and contrasted with relevant literature. Limitations include geographical setting; bias include lack of blinding and strengths are robust assessment methods in a well-established conceptual framework. Generalizability to PhD education in other disciplines is high. Results of this study will both have implications for students and educators involved in research training courses in health and medical education and for the patients who ultimately benefits from this training.

Trial registration

Retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05736627. SPIRIT guidelines are followed.

Peer Review reports

Medical education was utterly disrupted for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of rearranging courses and adapting to online platforms we, with lecturers and course managers around the globe, wondered what the conversion to online setting did to students’ learning, motivation and self-efficacy [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. What the long-term consequences would be [ 4 ] and if scalable online medical education should play a greater role in the future [ 5 ] seemed relevant and appealing questions in a time when health care professionals are in demand. Our experience of performing research training during the pandemic was that although PhD students were grateful for courses being available, they found it difficult to concentrate related to the long screen hours. We sensed that most students preferred an onsite setting and perceived online courses a temporary and inferior necessity. The question is if this impacted their learning?

Since the common use of the internet in medical education, systematic reviews have sought to answer if there is a difference in learning effect when taught online compared to onsite. Although authors conclude that online learning may be equivalent to onsite in effect, they agree that studies are heterogeneous and small [ 6 , 7 ], with low quality of the evidence [ 8 , 9 ]. They therefore call for more robust and adequately powered high-quality RCTs to confirm their findings and suggest that students’ preferences in online learning should be investigated [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].

This uncovers two knowledge gaps: I) High-quality RCTs on online versus onsite learning in health and medical education and II) Studies on students’ preferences in online learning.

Recently solid RCTs have been performed on the topic of web-based theoretical learning of research methods among health professionals [ 10 , 11 ]. However, these studies are on asynchronous courses among medical or master students with short term outcomes.

This uncovers three additional knowledge gaps: III) Studies on synchronous online learning IV) among PhD students of health and medical education V) with long term measurement of outcomes.

The rapid technological development including artificial intelligence (AI) and widespread adaption as well as application of online learning forced by the pandemic, has made online learning well-established. It represents high resolution live synchronic settings which is available on a variety of platforms with integrated AI and options for interaction with and among students, chat and break out rooms, and exterior digital tools for teachers [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Thus, investigating online learning today may be quite different than before the pandemic. On one hand, it could seem plausible that this technological development would make a difference in favour of online learning which could not be found in previous reviews of the evidence. On the other hand, the personal face-to-face interaction during onsite learning may still be more beneficial for the learning process and combined with our experience of students finding it difficult to concentrate when online during the pandemic we hypothesize that outcomes of the onsite setting are different from the online setting.

To support a robust study, we design it as a cluster randomized trial. Moreover, we use the well-established and widely used Kirkpatrick’s conceptual framework for evaluating learning as a lens to assess our outcomes [ 15 ]. Thus, to fill the above-mentioned knowledge gaps, the objective of this trial is to compare a synchronous online and an in-person onsite setting of a research course regarding the efficacy for PhD students within the health and medical sciences:

Primarily on theoretical learning of research methodology and

Secondly on

◦ Preference, motivation, self-efficacy on short term

◦ Academic achievements on long term

Trial design

This study protocol covers synchronous online and in-person onsite setting of research courses testing the efficacy for PhD students. It is a two parallel arms cluster randomized trial (Fig.  1 ).

Consort flow diagram

The study measures baseline and post intervention. Baseline variables and knowledge scores are obtained at the first day of the course, post intervention measurement is obtained the last day of the course (short term) and monthly for 24 months (long term).

Randomization is stratified giving 1:1 allocation ratio of the courses. As the number of participants within each course might differ, the allocation ratio of participants in the study will not fully be equal and 1:1 balanced.

Study setting

The study site is The Parker Institute at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. From here the courses are organized and run online and onsite. The course programs and time schedules, the learning objective, the course management, the lecturers, and the delivery are identical in the two settings. The teachers use the same introductory presentations followed by training in break out groups, feed-back and discussions. For the online group, the setting is organized as meetings in the online collaboration tool Zoom® [ 16 ] using the basic available technicalities such as screen sharing, chat function for comments, and breakout rooms and other basics digital tools if preferred. The online version of the course is synchronous with live education and interaction. For the onsite group, the setting is the physical classroom at the learning facilities at the Parker Institute. Coffee and tea as well as simple sandwiches and bottles of water, which facilitate sociality, are available at the onsite setting. The participants in the online setting must get their food and drink by themselves, but online sociality is made possible by not closing down the online room during the breaks. The research methodology courses included in the study are “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research”, (see course programme in appendix 1) and “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” [ 17 ] (see course programme in appendix 2). The two courses both have 12 seats and last either three or three and a half days resulting in 2.2 and 2.6 ECTS credits, respectively. They are offered by the PhD School of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Both courses are available and covered by the annual tuition fee for all PhD students enrolled at a Danish university.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria for participants: All PhD students enrolled on the PhD courses participate after informed consent: “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” at the PhD School of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Exclusion criteria for participants: Declining to participate and withdrawal of informed consent.

Informed consent

The PhD students at the PhD School at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen participate after informed consent, taken by the daily project leader, allowing evaluation data from the course to be used after pseudo-anonymization in the project. They are informed in a welcome letter approximately three weeks prior to the course and again in the introduction the first course day. They register their consent on the first course day (Appendix 3). Declining to participate in the project does not influence their participation in the course.

Interventions

Online course settings will be compared to onsite course settings. We test if the onsite setting is different to online. Online learning is increasing but onsite learning is still the preferred educational setting in a medical context. In this case onsite learning represents “usual care”. The online course setting is meetings in Zoom using the technicalities available such as chat and breakout rooms. The onsite setting is the learning facilities, at the Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, The Capital Region, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The course settings are not expected to harm the participants, but should a request be made to discontinue the course or change setting this will be met, and the participant taken out of the study. Course participants are allowed to take part in relevant concomitant courses or other interventions during the trial.

Strategies to improve adherence to interventions

Course participants are motivated to complete the course irrespectively of the setting because it bears ECTS-points for their PhD education and adds to the mandatory number of ECTS-points. Thus, we expect adherence to be the same in both groups. However, we monitor their presence in the course and allocate time during class for testing the short-term outcomes ( motivation, self-efficacy, preference and learning). We encourage and, if necessary, repeatedly remind them to register with Google Scholar for our testing of the long-term outcome (academic achievement).

Outcomes are related to the Kirkpatrick model for evaluating learning (Fig.  2 ) which divides outcomes into four different levels; Reaction which includes for example motivation, self-efficacy and preferences, Learning which includes knowledge acquisition, Behaviour for practical application of skills when back at the job (not included in our outcomes), and Results for impact for end-users which includes for example academic achievements in the form of scientific articles [ 18 , 19 , 20 ].

The Kirkpatrick model

Primary outcome

The primary outcome is short term learning (Kirkpatrick level 2).

Learning is assessed by a Multiple-Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) developed prior to the RCT specifically for this setting (Appendix 4). First the lecturers of the two courses were contacted and asked to provide five multiple choice questions presented as a stem with three answer options; one correct answer and two distractors. The questions should be related to core elements of their teaching under the heading of research training. The questions were set up to test the cognition of the students at the levels of "Knows" or "Knows how" according to Miller's Pyramid of Competence and not their behaviour [ 21 ]. Six of the course lecturers responded and out of this material all the questions which covered curriculum of both courses were selected. It was tested on 10 PhD students and within the lecturer group, revised after an item analysis and English language revised. The MCQ ended up containing 25 questions. The MCQ is filled in at baseline and repeated at the end of the course. The primary outcomes based on the MCQ is estimated as the score of learning calculated as number of correct answers out of 25 after the course. A decrease of points of the MCQ in the intervention groups denotes a deterioration of learning. In the MCQ the minimum score is 0 and 25 is maximum, where 19 indicates passing the course.

Furthermore, as secondary outcome, this outcome measurement will be categorized as binary outcome to determine passed/failed of the course defined by 75% (19/25) correct answers.

The learning score will be computed on group and individual level and compared regarding continued outcomes by the Mann–Whitney test comparing the learning score of the online and onsite groups. Regarding the binomial outcome of learning (passed/failed) data will be analysed by the Fisher’s exact test on an intention-to-treat basis between the online and onsite. The results will be presented as median and range and as mean and standard deviations, for possible future use in meta-analyses.

Secondary outcomes

Motivation assessment post course: Motivation level is measured by the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) Scale [ 22 ] (Appendix 5). The IMI items were randomized by random.org on the 4th of August 2022. It contains 12 items to be assessed by the students on a 7-point Likert scale where 1 is “Not at all true”, 4 is “Somewhat true” and 7 is “Very true”. The motivation score will be computed on group and individual level and will then be tested by the Mann–Whitney of the online and onsite group.

Self-efficacy assessment post course: Self-efficacy level is measured by a single-item measure developed and validated by Williams and Smith [ 23 ] (Appendix 6). It is assessed by the students on a scale from 1–10 where 1 is “Strongly disagree” and 10 is “Strongly agree”. The self-efficacy score will be computed on group and individual level and tested by a Mann–Whitney test to compare the self-efficacy score of the online and onsite group.

Preference assessment post course: Preference is measured as part of the general course satisfaction evaluation with the question “If you had the option to choose, which form would you prefer this course to have?” with the options “onsite form” and “online form”.

Academic achievement assessment is based on 24 monthly measurements post course of number of publications, number of citations, h-index, i10-index. This data is collected through the Google Scholar Profiles [ 24 ] of the students as this database covers most scientific journals. Associations between onsite/online and long-term academic will be examined with Kaplan Meyer and log rank test with a significance level of 0.05.

Participant timeline

Enrolment for the course at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, becomes available when it is published in the course catalogue. In the course description the course location is “To be announced”. Approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins, the participant list is finalized, and students receive a welcome letter containing course details, including their allocation to either the online or onsite setting. On the first day of the course, oral information is provided, and participants provide informed consent, baseline variables, and base line knowledge scores.

The last day of scheduled activities the following scores are collected, knowledge, motivation, self-efficacy, setting preference, and academic achievement. To track students' long term academic achievements, follow-ups are conducted monthly for a period of 24 months, with assessments occurring within one week of the last course day (Table  1 ).

Sample size

The power calculation is based on the main outcome, theoretical learning on short term. For the sample size determination, we considered 12 available seats for participants in each course. To achieve statistical power, we aimed for 8 clusters in both online and onsite arms (in total 16 clusters) to detect an increase in learning outcome of 20% (learning outcome increase of 5 points). We considered an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.02, a standard deviation of 10, a power of 80%, and a two-sided alpha level of 5%. The Allocation Ratio was set at 1, implying an equal number of subjects in both online and onsite group.

Considering a dropout up to 2 students per course, equivalent to 17%, we determined that a total of 112 participants would be needed. This calculation factored in 10 clusters of 12 participants per study arm, which we deemed sufficient to assess any changes in learning outcome.

The sample size was estimated using the function n4means from the R package CRTSize [ 25 ].

Recruitment

Participants are PhD students enrolled in 10 courses of “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and 10 courses of “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” at the PhD School of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Assignment of interventions: allocation

Randomization will be performed on course-level. The courses are randomized by a computer random number generator [ 26 ]. To get a balanced randomization per year, 2 sets with 2 unique random integers in each, taken from the 1–4 range is requested.

The setting is not included in the course catalogue of the PhD School and thus allocation to online or onsite is concealed until 3–4 weeks before course commencement when a welcome letter with course information including allocation to online or onsite setting is distributed to the students. The lecturers are also informed of the course setting at this time point. If students withdraw from the course after being informed of the setting, a letter is sent to them enquiring of the reason for withdrawal and reason is recorded (Appendix 7).

The allocation sequence is generated by a computer random number generator (random.org). The participants and the lecturers sign up for the course without knowing the course setting (online or onsite) until 3–4 weeks before the course.

Assignment of interventions: blinding

Due to the nature of the study, it is not possible to blind trial participants or lecturers. The outcomes are reported by the participants directly in an online form, thus being blinded for the outcome assessor, but not for the individual participant. The data collection for the long-term follow-up regarding academic achievements is conducted without blinding. However, the external researcher analysing the data will be blinded.

Data collection and management

Data will be collected by the project leader (Table  1 ). Baseline variables and post course knowledge, motivation, and self-efficacy are self-reported through questionnaires in SurveyXact® [ 27 ]. Academic achievements are collected through Google Scholar profiles of the participants.

Given that we are using participant assessments and evaluations for research purposes, all data collection – except for monthly follow-up of academic achievements after the course – takes place either in the immediate beginning or ending of the course and therefore we expect participant retention to be high.

Data will be downloaded from SurveyXact and stored in a locked and logged drive on a computer belonging to the Capital Region of Denmark. Only the project leader has access to the data.

This project conduct is following the Danish Data Protection Agency guidelines of the European GDPR throughout the trial. Following the end of the trial, data will be stored at the Danish National Data Archive which fulfil Danish and European guidelines for data protection and management.

Statistical methods

Data is anonymized and blinded before the analyses. Analyses are performed by a researcher not otherwise involved in the inclusion or randomization, data collection or handling. All statistical tests will be testing the null hypotheses assuming the two arms of the trial being equal based on corresponding estimates. Analysis of primary outcome on short-term learning will be started once all data has been collected for all individuals in the last included course. Analyses of long-term academic achievement will be started at end of follow-up.

Baseline characteristics including both course- and individual level information will be presented. Table 2 presents the available data on baseline.

We will use multivariate analysis for identification of the most important predictors (motivation, self-efficacy, sex, educational background, and knowledge) for best effect on short and long term. The results will be presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). The results will be considered significant if CI does not include the value one.

All data processing and analyses were conducted using R statistical software version 4.1.0, 2021–05-18 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria).

If possible, all analysis will be performed for “Practical Course in Systematic Review Technique in Clinical Research” and for “Getting started: Writing your first manuscript for publication” separately.

Primary analyses will be handled with the intention-to-treat approach. The analyses will include all individuals with valid data regardless of they did attend the complete course. Missing data will be handled with multiple imputation [ 28 ] .

Upon reasonable request, public assess will be granted to protocol, datasets analysed during the current study, and statistical code Table 3 .

Oversight, monitoring, and adverse events

This project is coordinated in collaboration between the WHO CC (DEN-62) at the Parker Institute, CAMES, and the PhD School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The project leader runs the day-to-day support of the trial. The steering committee of the trial includes principal investigators from WHO CC (DEN-62) and CAMES and the project leader and meets approximately three times a year.

Data monitoring is done on a daily basis by the project leader and controlled by an external independent researcher.

An adverse event is “a harmful and negative outcome that happens when a patient has been provided with medical care” [ 29 ]. Since this trial does not involve patients in medical care, we do not expect adverse events. If participants decline taking part in the course after receiving the information of the course setting, information on reason for declining is sought obtained. If the reason is the setting this can be considered an unintended effect. Information of unintended effects of the online setting (the intervention) will be recorded. Participants are encouraged to contact the project leader with any response to the course in general both during and after the course.

The trial description has been sent to the Scientific Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark (VEK) (21041907), which assessed it as not necessary to notify and that it could proceed without permission from VEK according to the Danish law and regulation of scientific research. The trial is registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency (Privacy) (P-2022–158). Important protocol modification will be communicated to relevant parties as well as VEK, the Joint Regional Information Security and Clinicaltrials.gov within an as short timeframe as possible.

Dissemination plans

The results (positive, negative, or inconclusive) will be disseminated in educational, scientific, and clinical fora, in international scientific peer-reviewed journals, and clinicaltrials.gov will be updated upon completion of the trial. After scientific publication, the results will be disseminated to the public by the press, social media including the website of the hospital and other organizations – as well as internationally via WHO CC (DEN-62) at the Parker Institute and WHO Europe.

All authors will fulfil the ICMJE recommendations for authorship, and RR will be first author of the articles as a part of her PhD dissertation. Contributors who do not fulfil these recommendations will be offered acknowledgement in the article.

This cluster randomized trial investigates if an onsite setting of a research course for PhD students within the health and medical sciences is different from an online setting. The outcomes measured are learning of research methodology (primary), preference, motivation, and self-efficacy (secondary) on short term and academic achievements (secondary) on long term.

The results of this study will be discussed as follows:

Discussion of primary outcome

Primary outcome will be compared and contrasted with similar studies including recent RCTs and mixed-method studies on online and onsite research methodology courses within health and medical education [ 10 , 11 , 30 ] and for inspiration outside the field [ 31 , 32 ]: Tokalic finds similar outcomes for online and onsite, Martinic finds that the web-based educational intervention improves knowledge, Cheung concludes that the evidence is insufficient to say that the two modes have different learning outcomes, Kofoed finds online setting to have negative impact on learning and Rahimi-Ardabili presents positive self-reported student knowledge. These conflicting results will be discussed in the context of the result on the learning outcome of this study. The literature may change if more relevant studies are published.

Discussion of secondary outcomes

Secondary significant outcomes are compared and contrasted with similar studies.

Limitations, generalizability, bias and strengths

It is a limitation to this study, that an onsite curriculum for a full day is delivered identically online, as this may favour the onsite course due to screen fatigue [ 33 ]. At the same time, it is also a strength that the time schedules are similar in both settings. The offer of coffee, tea, water, and a plain sandwich in the onsite course may better facilitate the possibility for socializing. Another limitation is that the study is performed in Denmark within a specific educational culture, with institutional policies and resources which might affect the outcome and limit generalization to other geographical settings. However, international students are welcome in the class.

In educational interventions it is generally difficult to blind participants and this inherent limitation also applies to this trial [ 11 ]. Thus, the participants are not blinded to their assigned intervention, and neither are the lecturers in the courses. However, the external statistical expert will be blinded when doing the analyses.

We chose to compare in-person onsite setting with a synchronous online setting. Therefore, the online setting cannot be expected to generalize to asynchronous online setting. Asynchronous delivery has in some cases showed positive results and it might be because students could go back and forth through the modules in the interface without time limit [ 11 ].

We will report on all the outcomes defined prior to conducting the study to avoid selective reporting bias.

It is a strength of the study that it seeks to report outcomes within the 1, 2 and 4 levels of the Kirkpatrick conceptual framework, and not solely on level 1. It is also a strength that the study is cluster randomized which will reduce “infections” between the two settings and has an adequate power calculated sample size and looks for a relevant educational difference of 20% between the online and onsite setting.

Perspectives with implications for practice

The results of this study may have implications for the students for which educational setting they choose. Learning and preference results has implications for lecturers, course managers and curriculum developers which setting they should plan for the health and medical education. It may also be of inspiration for teaching and training in other disciplines. From a societal perspective it also has implications because we will know the effect and preferences of online learning in case of a future lock down.

Future research could investigate academic achievements in online and onsite research training on the long run (Kirkpatrick 4); the effect of blended learning versus online or onsite (Kirkpatrick 2); lecturers’ preferences for online and onsite setting within health and medical education (Kirkpatrick 1) and resource use in synchronous and asynchronous online learning (Kirkpatrick 5).

Trial status

This trial collected pilot data from August to September 2021 and opened for inclusion in January 2022. Completion of recruitment is expected in April 2024 and long-term follow-up in April 2026. Protocol version number 1 03.06.2022 with amendments 30.11.2023.

Availability of data and materials

The project leader will have access to the final trial dataset which will be available upon reasonable request. Exception to this is the qualitative raw data that might contain information leading to personal identification.

Abbreviations

Artificial Intelligence

Copenhagen academy for medical education and simulation

Confidence interval

Coronavirus disease

European credit transfer and accumulation system

International committee of medical journal editors

Intrinsic motivation inventory

Multiple choice questionnaire

Doctor of medicine

Masters of sciences

Randomized controlled trial

Scientific ethical committee of the Capital Region of Denmark

WHO Collaborating centre for evidence-based clinical health promotion

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Acknowledgements

We thank the students who make their evaluations available for this trial and MSc (Public Health) Mie Sylow Liljendahl for statistical support.

Open access funding provided by Copenhagen University The Parker Institute, which hosts the WHO CC (DEN-62), receives a core grant from the Oak Foundation (OCAY-18–774-OFIL). The Oak Foundation had no role in the design of the study or in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data or in writing the manuscript.

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Contributions

RR, LK and HT have made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the work; RR to the acquisition of data, and RR, LK and HT to the interpretation of data; RR has drafted the work and RR, LK, and HT have substantively revised it AND approved the submitted version AND agreed to be personally accountable for their own contributions as well as ensuring that any questions which relates to the accuracy or integrity of the work are adequately investigated, resolved and documented.

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Correspondence to Rie Raffing .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

The Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics has assessed the study Journal-nr.:21041907 (Date: 21–09-2021) without objections or comments. The study has been approved by The Danish Data Protection Agency Journal-nr.: P-2022–158 (Date: 04.05.2022).

All PhD students participate after informed consent. They can withdraw from the study at any time without explanations or consequences for their education. They will be offered information of the results at study completion. There are no risks for the course participants as the measurements in the course follow routine procedure and they are not affected by the follow up in Google Scholar. However, the 15 min of filling in the forms may be considered inconvenient.

The project will follow the GDPR and the Joint Regional Information Security Policy. Names and ID numbers are stored on a secure and logged server at the Capital Region Denmark to avoid risk of data leak. All outcomes are part of the routine evaluation at the courses, except the follow up for academic achievement by publications and related indexes. However, the publications are publicly available per se.

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Raffing, R., Konge, L. & Tønnesen, H. Learning effect of online versus onsite education in health and medical scholarship – protocol for a cluster randomized trial. BMC Med Educ 24 , 927 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05915-z

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Received : 25 March 2024

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05915-z

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