Online versus Traditionally-Delivered Instruction: A Descriptive Study of Learner Characteristics in a Community College Setting. Halsne, Alana M.
This study compares the learning styles of community college students who have enrolled in an online course via the Internet with the learning styles of comparable community college students who are taking the same course on-campus in the community college setting. The students taking the online course were off-campus students. A sample consisting of 1,642 students who were enrolled in an online course or a traditional course that was also offered through the Internet at the community college during the spring 2001 semester was used for the study. There were 587 online students, of whom 340 completed the study, for a return rate of 57.9%, and 1,302 traditional students, with a return rate of 100%. Fourteen course titles with 22 different course numbers were included in the study, as well as 28 section numbers. The majority of online students were aged 26 or older, while the majority of the traditional students were under the age of 26. Findings from the study also indicate that 85% of the online students were white, versus 76% of traditional students. Family incomes were also higher for online students. The study concludes that the majority of online students have a visual learning style preference. Knowledge of learning styles may help target students who are at risk of dropping online courses. Survey instrument, permission letters, statistical frequency data tables, and cross tabulations of study findings are appended. (Contains 125 references.) 2002. 228pp. ED 465 404
Formative Use of Select-and-Fill-In Concept Maps in Online Instruction: Implications for Students of Different Learning Styles. Kaminski, Charles W.
With the establishment of the Internet and World Wide Web as part of the digital revolution, there has been a trend in which synchronous and asynchronous distance education opportunities have been made available to a greater variety of learners. However, students are indiscriminately pursuing online learning opportunities for the sake of convenience without consideration of the appropriateness of online instruction for their individual learning behaviors and characteristics. This has resulted in many online courses and programs enrolling students for whom the online learning environment is less than ideal—challenging teachers, administrators, technologists, and students to see that online instruction meets its potential. It is important that educators develop and investigate teaching and learning strategies that will appeal to a broad variety of online learners. Select-and-fill-in (SAFI) concept maps may provide such a strategy. This study attempted to answer the question, how do students of different learning styles respond to online instruction in which SAFI maps are utilized? (Contains 38 references.) 2002. 38pp. ED 465 604
The Effect of Library Instruction Learning Environments on Self-Efficacy Levels and Learning Outcomes of Graduate Students in Education. Beile, Penny.
The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of three learning environments:
campus-based students who attended a classroom library instruction session;
campus-based students who completed a Web-based library tutorial; and
distance students who completed a Web-based library tutorial on library skills self-efficacy levels and learning outcomes among graduate students of education.
Participating were 49 degree- and certificate-seeking graduate students who completed a survey before and after the tutorials. Regardless of the learning environment, all groups significantly improved their library skills learning outcomes, as indicated by scores on the measure of library skills. Exposure to prior library instruction does appear to offer a significant effect on both pretreatment and post-treatment self-efficacy levels and post-treatment skills test scores. Results also suggest that an electronic tutorial may produce the same cognitive outcomes as classroom-based library instruction. (SLD) 2002. 8pp. ED 465 331
Online Delivery in the Vocational Education and Training Sector: Improving Cost Effectiveness [and] Case Studies. Curtain, Richard.
A study compared costs and effectiveness of online learning (OL) with traditional face-to-face teaching methods. Six case studies (from New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia) provided data on these of two types of OL: (1) mixed-mode delivery using the computer and Internet in a classroom and (2) use of OL in distance education. The Webb (1999) information technology cost model was used. OL effectiveness was assessed by student questionnaires and interviews. Satisfaction ratings for different types of online learning were compared with the ratings of all technical and further education graduates. Among the findings were:
regarding classroom-based, mixed-mode delivery with low interactivity and heavy reliance on content, courses were high in cost compared with traditional classroom instruction and low on effectiveness in terms of student satisfaction;
with high levels of interactivity using the Internet and use of pre-existing Web-based resources, costs were often lower and students rated effectiveness more highly than traditional classroom instruction; regarding distance delivery, contrast was between the traditional correspondence model with its low interactivity and heavy reliance on content and online delivery with potential for high levels of interactivity;
using online communication for distance learning to provide high levels of interactivity could cost about twice that of a low-interaction, print-based correspondence course, but learning effectiveness ratings were better and on a par with satisfaction levels for classroom-based courses. These three strategies were suggested to improve OL cost-effectiveness: reduce costs, improve learning effectiveness, and increase volume.
(Contains 46 references.) 2002. 125pp. ED 465 082
Access and Success in Web Courses at an Urban Multicultural Community College: The Student's Perspective. Moore, Patricia L.
This study explores the question of access in Arizona's postsecondary electronic education environment by looking at an urban community college with a highly diverse student population. Phoenix College (PC) is a community college in the Maricopa Community College District in Phoenix, Arizona. A number of neighborhoods near the campus showed a household income of 50-75% below the poverty level. Ethnic minorities represented 57% of the student body at Phoenix College. The college is early in its Web course development, and offered only 16 Web courses in the spring term of 2001. Courses required by or that applied to a large cross-section of academic and occupational degree and certificate programs were selected for the study in order to obtain a broad representation of majors and educational goals among the student sample. The study looked at 10 sections of freshman-level general education courses. The sample included 252 students—140 returned an electronic survey, and 100 participated in the follow-up interviews. Women represented 56% of the PC student body, but 65% of the Web students were women. Older students were underrepresented in the Web courses under study: 6% of these students were aged 40 or older, while 19% of students at PC were over 40. The study also found that the majority of Web students were White, and there were proportionally fewer Hispanics registered in the Web courses. (Contains 32 references.) 2002. 25pp. ED 465 402
Implications of Mediated Instruction to Remote Learning in Mathematics. Matthews-Lopez, Joy L.; Lopez-Permouth, Sergio R.; Keck, David.
Mediated learning utilizes multimedia-based instructional modules to provide students with individualized access to information in alignment with their individual learning styles (Kinser, Morris, & Hewitt). In contrast with traditional pedagogy, the mission of the instructor in a mediated learning environment is to facilitate learning rather than to deliver information through lecturing. This fundamental difference in the role of the instructor in a mediated environment may set the stage to offer remedial mathematics courses via a remote learning model. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of converting a specific remedial-level college math course from a traditional classroom-delivery model to a remote learning mode when learning was supported by mediated instruction. A commercially-prepared mediated-learning system that featured Web-based classroom management with a CD-ROM-based instructional delivery platform was used for this project. Appended are related materials from the study, including course evaluation forms and basic skills test. 2002. 21pp. ED 464 827
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