Online versus Traditional Classroom Environments: An Exploratory Study of Course Characteristics

As many institutions of higher education further incorporate online courses into their curriculum, it is important to understand the characteristics of courses that affect students’ preference for either traditional classroom environments or online environments. As technological advancements and penetration into society increases, it has become more apparent in higher education institutions that all classes are not as adaptive to the online format as others. Indications of this can be seen in the attrition and retention rates of classes offered online. This study explores the characteristics of courses that affect students’ preferences towards online and traditional settings. The results indicate five statistically significant course characteristics.