Sustainability of Face-to-Face and Online Learning in Compulsory Courses: A Case Study of an Arabic Language Course at the German Jordanian University

The effectiveness of instructional modes in higher education—particularly online learning versus face-to-face instruction—remains a critical question for designing sustainable and high-quality educational practices. Understanding how these modes influence student learning outcomes is essential for informing evidence-based and sustainable teaching strategies across diverse courses and student populations. This quantitative study addresses this question by analyzing data from 3651 students enrolled in the “Advanced Arabic Language” course over six academic years at the German Jordanian University. Three years of face-to-face instruction (2016/2017–2018/2019) were compared with three years of online learning instruction (2021/2022–2023/2024). Independent samples t -tests showed that face-to-face learning significantly outperformed online learning, with online learning students scoring on average 6.2 points lower, corresponding to a moderate effect size (d = 0.55). ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between learning mode and students’ major type, indicating that instructional effectiveness varies with academic background. These findings underscore the importance of continuously evaluating instructional methods to ensure effective and sustainable learning outcomes. By situating the analysis within both global and local contexts, this study contributes to the literature by advancing understanding of the impact and sustainability of online learning versus face-to-face instruction in higher education.