Face to Face versus E-learning: An Investigation into the Performance of TEFL Master's Students of Payame Noor University

This study aimed at investigating the performance of face-to-face and e-learning Master's students of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at Payame Noor University, the biggest distance education institute and public university in Iran and the Middle East. To achieve this, the performance of 1254 MA (678 face-to-face and 576 e-learning) students in the final exams of five courses were compared. In another comparison, the final scores of male (n=158) and female (n=418) e-learning students were compared to find any significant differences in their performances. The results revealed no significant difference between the achievements of male and female students. Furthermore, the face-to-face and electronic students performed similarly in three courses and differed significantly in two other ones. That is, the former group outperformed the latter in two courses. The reasons might be due to some factors such as differences in the two modes of learning, the quality of hardware and software, and the number of students in e-learning courses which highlight the necessity of paying more attention to this mode of learning. Some theoretical and pedagogical implications emerged from the study.