Effect of Absenteeism on Student's Performance in Different Components of Examinations - A Comparison of Online Verses Offline Teaching.

Abstract

The In online learning, more responsibility is shifted towards students in learning according to their needs. However there is a need to assess which component of teaching can be shifted online for future hybrid teachings. This study aims to compare the students' performance in difference components of the exams and compare them in online vs offline. It was a quantitative study comparing onsite and online groups academic performance in individual components of assessment for a duration of 6 months. Estimates were reported per standard deviation (SD) increase or decrease. Taking absenteeism rate as a predictor, models with group and gender on their own was fitted in univariable models, before including all three predictors (absenteeism rate, group and gender) in the final model. Students who studied online, had a 0.49SD higher grade than their counterparts who attended physically (p < 0.001), each SD increase in the absenteeism rate was associated with a 0.26SD lower overall score, and this was significant, p < 0.001. While comparing both groups in MCQ part students who studied online, had a 0.6SD higher grade than their counterparts (p < 0.001), also in continuous assessment students who studied online, had a 0.49 SD higher grade than their counterparts who attended physically (p < 0.001). Positive effect of the online teaching was clear in the (MCQs) and the final result, while no significant gender variation detected in this study.