The comparison of learning strategies, computer anxiety and success states of students taking web-based and face-to-face instruction in higher education

Recent interest in computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has prompted educators to incorporate communication tools into their courses. This article reports findings of students' use of two Web-based discussion forums across two semesters to supplement face-to- face instruction. By tracking the discussions, we discovered that when students initiated reflection and integration of perspectives, they did so through concessions and oppositions to the postings of their peers. Findings point to the importance of explicit scaffolding of conversations to encourage student sharing and evaluation of perspectives.

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The Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning: A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature

Teachers College Record ◽

10.1177/016146811311500307 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 115 (3) ◽

pp. 1-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Barbara Means ◽

Yukie Toyama ◽

Robert Murphy ◽

Marianne Baki

Keyword(s):

Online Learning ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Learning Outcomes ◽

Classroom Instruction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Learning Models ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Learning Conditions ◽

Face To Face Instruction

Background/Context Earlier research on various forms of distance learning concluded that these technologies do not differ significantly from regular classroom instruction in terms of learning outcomes. Now that web-based learning has emerged as a major trend in both K–12 and higher education, the relative efficacy of online and face-to-face instruction needs to be revisited. The increased capabilities of web-based applications and collaboration technologies and the rise of blended learning models combining web-based and face-to-face classroom instruction have raised expectations for the effectiveness of online learning. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study This meta-analysis was designed to produce a statistical synthesis of studies contrasting learning outcomes for either fully online or blended learning conditions with those of face-to-face classroom instruction. Population/Participants/Subjects The types of learners in the meta-analysis studies were about evenly split between students in college or earlier years of education and learners in graduate programs or professional training. The average learner age in a study ranged from 13 to 44. Intervention/Program/Practice The meta-analysis was conducted on 50 effects found in 45 studies contrasting a fully or partially online condition with a fully face-to-face instructional condition. Length of instruction varied across studies and exceeded one month in the majority of them. Research Design The meta-analysis corpus consisted of (1) experimental studies using random assignment and (2) quasi-experiments with statistical control for preexisting group differences. An effect size was calculated or estimated for each contrast, and average effect sizes were computed for fully online learning and for blended learning. A coding scheme was applied to classify each study in terms of a set of conditions, practices, and methodological variables. Findings/Results The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The advantage over face-to-face classes was significant in those studies contrasting blended learning with traditional face-to-face instruction but not in those studies contrasting purely online with face-to-face conditions. Conclusions/Recommendations Studies using blended learning also tended to involve additional learning time, instructional resources, and course elements that encourage interactions among learners. This confounding leaves open the possibility that one or all of these other practice variables contributed to the particularly positive outcomes for blended learning. Further research and development on different blended learning models is warranted. Experimental research testing design principles for blending online and face-to-face instruction for different kinds of learners is needed.

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Application of Gamification to Blended Learning in Higher Education

Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Media and Communications - Advances in Multimedia and Interactive Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7601-3.ch005 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 50-61

Author(s):

Kamini Jaipal-Jamani ◽

Candace Figg

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Blended Learning ◽

Learning Environments ◽

Traditional Instruction ◽

Teaching Strategy ◽

Digital Game ◽

Game Based Learning ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Gamified Learning

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has been identified as an effective digital teaching strategy to foster 21st century learning. The inclusion of digital game-based learning in instruction is challenging for educators to structure in higher education learning environments, often because of the lack of coherence with curriculum. Gamification is a recent DGBL strategy that enables the instructor to incorporate the motivational and engagement elements of games in ways that can be adapted to curriculum requirements. Gamification, supported with digital technologies such as web-based tools and learning management systems, offers the instructor the benefits of both face-to-face traditional instruction and online learning. An example of how blended learning in higher education incorporates gamification is presented. Study findings indicate that the blended gamified learning environment motivated learners and promoted cognitive, skill, and attitude development.

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The Hybrid Course; Facilitating Learning through Social Interaction Technologies

Web-Based Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-61520-963-7.ch038 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 540-552

Author(s):

Lorraine D. Jackson ◽

Joe Grimes

Keyword(s):

Social Interaction ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Course Design ◽

Higher Learning ◽

Discussion Boards ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽

Face To Face Instruction ◽

Data Mashups

This chapter surveys the benefits and challenges of hybridcourses, which blend face-to-face instruction with onlinelearning, and opportunities provided by the introduction of web-based social interaction technologies. It discusses thepedagogical implications of various Web 2.0 tools; that is, asynchronous discussion boards, blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS, e-portfolios, folksonomies, educational gaming, data mashups, and simulations. The authors argue that ashybrid courses continue to evolve to meet the needs of students, instructors, and institutions of higher learning,the integration of Web 2.0 applications in a hybrid model requires thoughtful course design, clear educational objectives, and carefully planned activities.

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Instructional Design and E-Training

Handbook of Research on Virtual Workplaces and the New Nature of Business Practices ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-893-2.ch017 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 223-240

Author(s):

Julia D. Sweeny

Keyword(s):

Instructional Design ◽

Instructional Strategies ◽

Online Training ◽

Future Trends ◽

Online Instructors ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Face To Face Instruction ◽

Primary Focus ◽

Based Instruction

Online training or, e-training, can be less expensive, more efficient, and more productive than traditional face-to-face instruction. This chapter reviews why businesses are adopting Web-based instruction, characteristics of exemplary e-trainers and skills online instructors must attain. The primary focus of the chapter is on the importance of instructional design in analyzing the online audience and context; developing instructional strategies and online materials; implementing a Web-based course; and evaluating an online training program. Future trends and a conclusion complete the chapter.

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Teaching Statistics and Operations Research Online

Cases on Successful E-Learning Practices in the Developed and Developing World ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-942-7.ch020 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 298-311 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Juan ◽

J. Faulin ◽

P. Fonseca ◽

C. Steegmann ◽

L. Pla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Operations Research ◽

Online Teaching ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Online Courses ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Face To Face Instruction ◽

Based Instruction

This chapter presents a case study of online teaching in Statistics and Operations Research (OR) at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). UOC is a purely online university with headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, with students from many countries. As common to most math-related knowledge areas, teaching and learning Statistics and OR present difficult challenges in traditional higher education. These issues are exacerbated in online environments where face-to-face interactions between students and instructors as well as among students themselves are limited or non-existent. Despite these difficulties, as evidenced in the global growth of online course offerings, Web-based instruction offers comparative benefits to traditional face-to-face instruction. While there exists a plethora of literature covering experiences and best practices in traditional face-to-face instruction in mathematics, there is a lack of research describing long-term successful experiences in Statistics and OR online courses. Based on the authors’ experiences during the last decade, this chapter aims to share some insights on how to design and develop successful online courses in these knowledge areas.

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A Web-based Tutorial May Produce the Same Cognitive Outcomes as Face to Face Instruction

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice ◽

10.18438/b8sg60 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 30

Author(s):

Gill Needham

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Library Instruction ◽

Education Students ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Group 3 ◽

Group 2 ◽

Face To Face Instruction ◽

Library Skills

A review of: Beile, Penny M. and David N. Boote. “Does the Medium Matter?: A Comparison of a Web-Based Tutorial with Face-to-Face Library Instruction on Education Students’ Self-Efficacy Levels and Learning Outcomes.” Research Strategies 20 (2004): 57-68. Objective – To determine whether library skills self-efficacy levels and learning outcomes of postgraduate education students varied with different instructional delivery methods, specifically Web-based or face to face. Design – Pre- and post-intervention survey comparing three groups receiving different types of instruction. Setting – Department of Educational Studies at a large U.S. urban university. Subjects – Forty-nine masters, doctoral, and certificate-seeking education students enrolled in one of three sections of a research methods course. There were 40 female and 9 male students. Methods – Immediately before receiving library instruction, the three student groups were asked to complete a library skills self-efficacy questionnaire, comprising 30 items designed to measure students’ perceptions of their ability to successfully perform library research. They also completed a library skills test, consisting of 20 multiple choice questions, designed to assess conceptual knowledge, knowledge of database searching, and institution-specific knowledge. The intervention groups were: Group 1 (Sixteen students) – an on-campus class that received a face to face instruction session comprised of a 70-minute demonstration of key library databases followed by an activity that allowed students to practice their skills. Group 2 (Nineteen students) – an on-campus class that received a Web-based tutorial comprised of four interactive modules, requiring an average 80 minutes to complete. Group 3 (Nineteen students) - a Web-based class that received the same Web-based tutorial as Group 2. The survey and test were repeated six weeks after the instruction. Main results – Both self-efficacy scores and library skills test scores increased for all three groups post-intervention. Average self-efficacy levels increased from a mean of 68.88 (SD=19.92) to a mean of 91.90 (SD=16.24); library skills scores increased from an average score of 58.78 (SD=13.80) to an average of 73.16 (SD=12.65). There was no statistically significant difference between the post- intervention scores of the three groups on the library skills test. However, the Web-based students in Group 3 showed a statistically significant greater increase in self-efficacy score (78.86 to 102.36) when compared with Group 2 participants (64.74 to 83.68). Conclusion – The study provides evidence that library instruction is effective in increasing both skill levels and self-efficacy levels. It does not give a clear indication of the relative value of different modes of delivery, but it does support the contention that Web-based tutorials are at least as effective as face to face sessions.

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