Online Learning Efficacy Research Database

Blended learning environment is a hybrid of classroom and online learning that includes some of the convenience of online courses without the complete loss of face-to-face advantages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of traditional and blended instruction, in students performance in a Physical Education in Early Childhood course. The course was designed and developed to meet the learning needs of students and the course's objectives. The t test analysis on independent samples, revealed statistically significant differences in students’ performance. Based on the findings, blended instruction appears as an alternative teaching practice that should be embraced by teachers, in order to assist students to improve their performance. 
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With the growth of the world-wide web and e-learning some programs are now fully online but blended learning has also become popular, offering various combinations of internal classes and online content. This paper reports the results of delivering an introductory first-year property course using both online and blended learning. The paper investigates the effectiveness of blended and online learning based on the thesis that blended learning is more effective as students have the advantages of both face-to-face learning and the online environment. A case study approach was adopted that involved two recent cohorts of students. Course statistics from the newly introduced Moodle software were used to analyse how these two groups of students used the online material and how these activities were correlated with their learning outcomes. This paper contributes to higher education pedagogy in online learning by providing insights into the use of a project-based learning approach in engaging students. 
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This study adopted an empirical study to examine the application of the blended learning approach to Web-based College English Teaching Platform (WCETP) in a medical university in eastern China. The study was conducted on 40 students majoring in Clinical Medicine from two classes and raised two questions: (1) Is there a significant difference between the blended learning approach and the traditional classroom learning approach in terms of students’ attitudes and satisfaction? (2) Is there a significant difference between the blended learning approach and the traditional classroom learning approach in terms of students’ academic achievement? By analyzing and discussing the resultant statistics, the author drew the conclusion that compared with the traditional teaching approach, participants held more positive attitudes towards the blended learning model. Besides, participants preferred to this new blended learning model, which could better stimulate their interest, foster their autonomous learning and collaborative learning and prompt their confidence. What is more, the quantitative research with the comparisons of language learning achievement between the experimental group and the control group revealed that there was a significant difference in terms of students’ academic achievement between the traditional classroom learning approach and the blended learning approach. Furthermore, students performed better in language learning under the blended learning model than those under the traditional model. The findings of the study indicate that as the brand-new learning approach, the blended learning approach which integrates the advantages of online learning and face-to-face classroom teaching could enhance students’ comprehensive language skills, improve students’ self-confidence in learning English, and cultivate the learners’ ability of self learning. Therefore, study on the application of blended learning for college English learning has an important reference value and practical significance for the reform of College English Education. 
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Numerous studies have compared student outcomes in online classes and traditional classes, but with mixed results. This paper adds to the existing body of evidence through an examination of students in Personal Finance courses. Primary results indicate that the delivery method made little difference in student performance. Secondary results identify pre-course GPAs, and to a lesser extent ACT scores, as predictors of student success in Personal Finance. 
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Community colleges are increasing their enrollment faster than four-year universities and have also had the highest growth rate in online learning enrollments in higher education. This increase in community college enrollment and specifically in online and developmental courses, leads to a need for research with this population; sadly, very little research focuses on online students in community colleges. The purpose of this paper is to present a research study which compared student success in a Developmental Math course offered in three different learning environments (online, blended, and face-to-face). Using quantitative instruments, data from 167 participants was collected including, demographic information, unit test grades and standardized Intermediate Algebra Competency Exam scores. Results of a one way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences between learning environments with the students in the blended courses having the least success. Additional analysis was done to address issues of attrition since attrition rates are high for community college students and online students. Data analysis with the attrition adjusted sample showed that the face-to-face students performed most poorly. The findings of this study contradict the current research findings of no significant difference in success based on learning environment. 
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This paper examines whether a blended course that introduces lower-level education online learned by students before they come into class and after class online assignments and online discussions enhances student performance for an introductory principles of accounting course over the period 2009-2010. The blended course design includes (1) before-class online quizzes, (2) after-class online homework assignments and online quizzes, (3) after-class comments postings, and (4) company case and project online postings. The regression results show that the above designed blended course improves the student final examination/course performance through in-depth in class activities after controlling for prior GPA, math grade, gender, transfer, homework grade, online quiz grade, and in-class exercise grade. 
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Two sections of the Principles of Management course were examined to compare student outcomes based on course delivery method. The first section was a traditional F2F class, while the second section was parallel cohorts of students meeting in two separate locations, but linked by ITV (Interactive Television). The professor appeared once per week in each location, effectively resulting in a hybrid synchronous ITV delivery in which students were only in the same room as their professor 50% of the time. Regression analysis, t-tests and correlations were performed on both total points earned and student scores on an assessment exam. Results showed there to be no significant difference in student outcomes between the two delivery methods. 
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This paper presents the results of a study assessing the comparative effectiveness of teaching an undergraduate intermediate accounting course in the online classroom format. Students in a large state university were offered an opportunity to complete the first course in intermediate accounting either online or on-campus. Students were required to complete several objective homework assignments and write an essay on what is means to be a professional. In addition, students were asked to report their progress in achieving seven stated objectives of the course. Students in the online course performed as well as students in the on-campus course. 
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The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a hybrid learning approach to deliver a computer science course concerning the Microsoft office PowerPoint 2003 program in comparison to delivering the same course content in the form of traditional lectures. A hundred and seventy-two first year university students were randomly assigned into two teaching method groups: traditional lecture instruction (TLI) and hybrid lecture instruction (HLI). Each group received six 95-min periods of instruction divided into 4 sections: a) 5-min brief outline of the key learning points, b) 40-min lecture on general knowledge c) 45-min constructivist-inspired learning activities and d) 5-min summary on key learning points. In the beginning and the end of this study students completed a 17-item multiple choice knowledge test. Two-way analysis of variances (ANOVA), with repeated measures on the last factor, were conducted to determine effect of method groups (TLI, HLI) and measures (pre-test, post-test) on knowledge test. The measures main effect was significant, as well as the groups x measures interaction effect. Two independent-samples t test were conducted to follow up the significant interaction. Differences in mean ratings of knowledge performance between the two teaching groups were not significantly different at first measure, while the TLI method group yielded a significantly lower mean rating at second measure. The findings indicated that HLI approach might be a superior option for undergraduate students on learning the Microsoft office PowerPoint 2003 program. 
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Online courses offer a number of obvious advantages to students in terms of scheduling and flexibility. Interactions between the instructor and student in an online course though tend to be more limited and strictly defined than they would be in the traditional classroom. Hybrid formats offer greater flexibility and variety for student-instructor interactions and learning exercises than the online format while still retaining some scheduling flexibility. This discussion assesses differences in student performance and outcomes across a sample of 7 sections of a Sports Economics course that over the last five academic years has been offered online, in the traditional classroom, and as a hybrid course. The analysis finds that students in an online course were likely to have scored 16 percent higher than students that took the same course in the traditional classroom. Students in the hybrid format were likely to have scored 4 percent lower than the students in the traditional classroom. 
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