The COVID-19 pandemic has sped up the integration of online learning into higher education systems, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability and fairness of digital education. While existing studies often focus on short-term results, less attention has been given to how long students are engaged in online learning and its cumulative effects on their development. This study examines how the duration of online learning impacts three key educational outcomes: knowledge mastery, expressive ability, and creative thinking, and whether these impacts vary across gender and ethnic groups. Using survey data from a comprehensive Chinese university, we apply Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) and quantile regression to evaluate both average and distributional effects. Our results show that extended online learning affects student abilities differently, with female and ethnic minority students facing unique challenges. These findings emphasize the need to develop inclusive and resilient digital education systems, especially in supporting Sustainable Development Goal 4. The study adds to the growing research on education for sustainable development by demonstrating how digital learning methods intersect with social identities to influence learning paths.
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Share And Cite
Wu, C., Yan, X., Zhou, Q. (2025) Does the Duration of Online Learning Matter? Examining Its Effect on Knowledge Mastery, Creative Thinking, and Expression across Gender and Ethnicity. Global Education Bulletion, 2(5), 17-33. https://doi.org/10.71052/grb2025/GTPX4716