The Efficacy of Educational Delivery Channels: Assessing the Impact of Formal versus Online Instruction on Academic Achievement and Stakeholder Satisfaction in Islamabad's Tertiary Sector

Abstract

In this paper, the author discussed the comparative impact of formal and online learning on the student satisfaction and academic performance of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) and the COMSATS University Islamabad. The quantitative research design was chosen, and the total number of students (340) was chosen through stratified random sampling (including 165 students at IIUI and 175 students at COMSATS). The data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaire, and its analysis using the assistance of the descriptive (mean, percentage) and inferential statistics (t-test).

The results indicate that approximately 70-75 percent of students prefer formal education due to the improved interaction, improved understanding and high level of satisfaction. Instead, they found online learning to be an effective tool only 25-30 percent of the students, and the overwhelming numbers (more than 55 percent) of students rated the interaction as weak and 65-70 percent of students said they were distracted during online classes. In addition, about 70 percent of respondents mentioned insufficient internet connectivity as one of the key challenges to effective online learning. However, nearly 70 percent of the students claimed to have access to digital devices and about 35-40 percent of the students were discovered to be able to regulate their time of studying in online platforms. Inferential analysis revealed that the mean of the academic performance of the COMSATS students (M = 12.5460) was marginally higher than the IIUI students (M = 11.9329); but this was not statistically significant (t = 1.866, p = 0.063 > 0.05).To sum up, online education is more flexible and accessible, but formal education is more effective in promoting student satisfaction and academic achievement. The research advises embracing a blended learning method to maximize learning processes.

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