Abstract
The practice of using technology to deliver coursework in higher education has seen a veritable explosion. The use of technology has not only created new opportunities within the traditional classroom but has also served to expand learning experiences beyond the popular notion of “classroom." Indeed, “distance learning," especially utilization of the Internet, is becoming a widely used delivery alternative at universities nationwide.In many instances the change to an Internet-based delivery system has been instituted with little or no consideration of the impact on student learning. This paper presents data from a twosemester study of the effects of distance learning on student achievement as well as the impact of distance learning on student attitudes concerning their learning experiences. Students’ test scores and satisfaction survey results from an Internet-based test group were compared to a control group whose instructional opportunities were from traditional, in-class models. Researchers found no significant difference between the test scores of the two groups. Additionally, while statistically significant data could not be produced in the area of student perceptions, general observations supported that, overall, students in the experimental group had a more positive feeling about their experience than the control group.
Highlights
The role of technology in the delivery of instruction at universities has been truly explosive
While there are several studies [3], [4] which examined telecommunication-based courses versus traditional formats, there is very little data concerning the delivery of distance learning in one of the fastest growing modes today: over the Internet
If it is a given that Internet-based distance learning is here to stay and that most of the delivery issues previously discussed in the literature could be remediated, would there be any significant difference in student achievement, as measured by teacher-prepared tests, between students taking a course in an Internet-based environment versus those who received instruction in the more traditional, in-class model? these researchers were interested in whether there would be any difference in the perceptions of these two groups about their learning opportunities as measured by student surveys and student evaluation instruments
Summary
The role of technology in the delivery of instruction at universities has been truly explosive. Lack of technological expertise on the part of both teacher and student [5], resistance to change on the part of faculty [2], student passivity [6], hardware limitations [7] and learner isolation [8] are but a few of the perceived drawbacks to distance learning. While they represent legitimate areas of concern, for the most part, these problems relate to training and technology issues that have fairly obvious remedies. Less obvious in the literature is the effect distance learning over the Internet has on student achievement
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