Investigations on the efficacy of online education have been both broad and ambiguous. On one side of the coin, research studies argue that there is no analytical or rational distinctness between the academic outcomes of online and face-to-face courses. The problem is that students will experience poor academic achievement when switching to online learning. A review of previous literature concerning onsite and online education focused on the types, breadth, and future potential of an online educational approach. The importance of exploring the problem is filling a gap between the effectiveness of onsite learning versus online learning and student academic success. The background of the problem is that regardless of the enormous number of research studies correlating student educational outcomes across different learning approaches, such as face-to-face, hybrid, blended, and online or distance learning, there have not been systematic investigations of the effectiveness of online learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect that switching to online learning has had on student achievement. Theoretical frameworks of the analysis include the constructivist theory and transformational leadership in education theory. Research questions of the study centered on higher education instructors' insight and experiences of shifting from onsite education to strictly online education. Measurement tools to collect the data are semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Twenty higher education instructors from a college in Southern Georgia were recruited for the study. Findings revealed five emergent themes as primary drivers for shifting from onsite education to strictly online education. Future research should focus on diverse populations to investigate the effects of online learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]