The Benefit of Utilizing Brain-Based Learning in Higher Education Online Environments

Abstract

Higher education has experienced a significant transformation from traditional face-to-face instruction to online instruction. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine to what extent postsecondary online faculty utilized brain-based learning techniques as part of their academic practices in the online asynchronous learning environment and to assess differences in the use of these techniques between online full-time and online adjunct faculty employed by two public universities and one private university located in the Southwest region of the United States. The theoretical framework of Hart’s (1983) brain-based learning theory (BBLT) informed this study. The sample consisted of 539 accepted and completed surveys. The participants completed 55 questions based on brain-based learning. Quantitative data were collected using Klinek’s (2009) questionnaire about brain-based learning knowledge, beliefs, and practices. The data from the questionnaire measured the online faculty’s knowledge, beliefs, and practices of brain-based learning techniques. The data were analyzed using descriptive information about the sample computing frequencies of the variables. Cronbach’s alpha reliabilities were conducted to complete the descriptive statistics for the first research question. The statistical analysis used for research question two and three was Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) using a 2×2 factorial design to test the hypotheses. The researcher found that there was a significant difference between the BBLT practices of the online faculty from public (M = 3.45) and private universities (M = 3.28), F (1, 294) = 1.62, p = .004, ŋ2 = .044. The study revealed that there is a lack of knowledge about BBLT supporting the need for professional development and training.