The Effects of Videotaping and Attendance Incentives to Enhance Performance in a High-Enrollment Oceanography Course

Abstract

Disappointing student performance in high-enrollment lecture-section undergraduate courses is often attributed to poor attendance. In an attempt to increase attendance and improve performance, incentives were offered for good attendance, and videotapes of all lectures were made available. Although well received by students, there was no evidence that either strategy affected student achievement. University grade-point average was a significant predictor of performance in the course. In the trial semester, gender differences in course averages were noted; however, that pattern was not evident in other semesters. An unexpected positive finding was the use made of the videotapes by students with learning disabilities.