Behavioral Changes and Learning Differences in Students Registered in Online Versus In-Seat General Education Nutrition Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate knowledge, motivational and behavioral changes among students enrolled in an in-seat, face-to-face introductory nutrition course compared to students enrolled in the same course online. Colleges and universities across the country are adapting to the increased demand for higher education and are looking for alternative ways for students to receive credits. This includes providing different modalities of learning, including online, hybrid, and in-seat classes. The target audience for this thesis is for college and university nutrition professors and course developers. A twenty-nine question pre- and post-semester survey consisting of questions related to nutrition knowledge, motivation, and behavior was distributed electronically to 228 students enrolled in selected in-seat and online sections of an introductory nutrition course offered at California State University, Long Beach. Differences between groups (in-seat vs. online) were investigated using independent samples t-tests. Of the 170 students who participated, there were no significant differences in knowledge, motivation, and behavior between the in-seat and online students at pre- and post-survey. Both groups showed improvement in nutrition knowledge gained and nutrition related behaviors and slight decrease in overall motivation from pre- to post-survey. Understanding differences in impacts of learning modalities is important for guiding the future of education models. Future research looking at the impact of different learning modalities in relation to nutrition on a regional and national scale is needed. No matter the delivery, nutrition education is important for students at the college level to expand their knowledge about nutrition, make informed decisions and ultimately help them lead healthier lives.