Due to the COVID 19 crisis, virtual classrooms and online learning attempts seemed to be everywhere. Even as some schools return to a new “normal,” there are indications that this approach to instructional delivery may become a permanent fixture. Some are even claiming this is the wave of the future, with legislators in a few states even suggesting that millions of dollars could be saved by converting most schools to virtual schools.

As with any new trend, people tend to jump on the bandwagon without significantly studying the long-term impact of such a change. As researchers continue to study the effectiveness of virtual classes, the consensus is that “Students tend to learn less efficiently than usual in online courses.” This article is an overview of the current thinking on this topic.

It’s also important to note that many studies suggest the lower the grade level, the less effective virtual instruction tends to be. In general, properly designed online learning works well at the graduate level, but positive results tend to be significantly lower with college freshmen. And while studies on high school and elementary school are just beginning (again, due to the pandemic), it’s only logical that the same progression would apply there as well.

Science-fiction writer, Issac Asimov, wrote a short story about this very topic back in 1951. Perhaps the underlying message is still relevant today.