In a context where virtual education has gained prominence in the aftermath of the pandemic, the study by Eduardo Gonzales López and Inés Evaristo Chiyong, published in RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, offers valuable evidence on how this modality impacts academic performance and student dropout rates.
Using a quasi-experimental design that compared a university course delivered both in-person and online at a private university in Lima, the authors conclude that there are no statistically significant differences in final grades between the two modalities. This finding aligns with previous international research: the mode of instruction alone does not determine academic success.
The analysis, however, does reveal important nuances. Although certain individual assessments showed significant differences — such as the first assignment favoring the virtual group and the final project favoring the in-person group — these variations did not affect the overall outcome.
Even more noteworthy is the finding that dropout rates were low in both groups, challenging the widespread belief that virtual education leads to significantly higher attrition. Nonetheless, the researchers caution that external factors — including limited connectivity, work obligations, and a lack of prior experience with virtual environments — may have impacted the performance of students in the online group. These findings reinforce the idea that personal and contextual factors play a greater role than the educational medium itself.
The article is especially relevant in the Peruvian context, where virtual education still faces social distrust and a widespread perception of inferior quality. By presenting empirical data that challenge these assumptions, the study calls for a reevaluation of the virtual modality — provided it is well-designed and supported by effective instructional guidance.
Rather than fueling a debate over which format is superior, this research invites us to shift the focus toward improving the overall learning experience, regardless of modality — particularly in a country still striving to democratize access to and retention in higher education.
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How to Cite: Gonzales Lopez, E. F., & Evaristo Chiyong, I. (2021). Academic Achievement and Dropout of University Students from a Course in Both an Online and Face-to-Face Modality. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana De Educación a Distancia, 24(2), 189–202. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.24.2.29103
