Comparison of Online and Onsite Bioinformatics Instruction for a Fully Online Bioinformatics Master’s Program

Abstract

The completely online Master of Science in Bioinformatics program differs from the onsite program only in the mode of content delivery. Analysis of student satisfaction indicates no statistically significant difference between most online and onsite student responses, however, online and onsite students do differ significantly in their responses to a few questions on the course evaluation queries. Analysis of student exam performance using three assessments indicates that there was no significant difference in grades earned by students in online and onsite courses. These results suggest that our model for online bioinformatics education provides students with a rigorous course of study that is comparable to onsite course instruction and possibly provides a more rigorous course load and more opportunities for participation.