Online Learning Efficacy Research Database

Both large lectures and online formats are encouraged as viable options for the delivery of course material in higher education today, especially in large general education courses. However, how do such delivery formats impact student learning? In an effort to understand how lecture format impacts cognitive learning, this study investigated how the delivery format impacts the actual and perceived cognitive learning of students in a basic communication course in a midsized Midwestern university. Using one-way between-subjects ANOVA, earned exam grades, coded written reflections, and scores from a cognitive learning perception scale were compared across online, hybrid, and face-
to-face lecture delivery formats. As predicted, no significant differences on any of the dependent variables were identified, indicating a lack of influence of delivery format on actual or perceived levels of cognitive learning. However, aspects of teacher immediacy, student learning preferences, and degree of interaction in recitation sections is discussed, along with implications for future research. 
[less]

While educators and librarians have long been concerned with developing undergraduates’ ability to find credible sources, the abundance of unreliable information online has exponentially complicated the situation. In developing a new curriculum for English Composition 1001 classes, a first-year writing class at the University of Cincinnati, we developed new ways of engaging with student experiences before and beyond the class sessions to address source analysis through active peer learning. Using an action research framework to position ourselves as both practitioners and researchers, we considered our own practice as teachers as much as student outcomes. We compared the use of flipped content with in-class instruction. By capturing students’ research process through pre-class and post-class surveys, we could better understand the online ecosystem they must navigate and help them reflect critically on their progress. Our analysis of student survey responses allowed us to measure progress in three areas: source quality, search strategy, and topic relevance. Flipped class activities had the same result on student behavior as did in-class delivery. 
[less]

Flipped classroom models allocate more time for active learning approaches compared with more traditional pedagogies, however what is less clear with the utilisation of flipped learning is evidence to support whether students in flipped classes are given more opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills (HOTs) to effect deep learning compared with the traditional ways of teaching. Focussing on this gap, this study compares on campus and off campus student engagement in two courses using different deliveries: online face-to-face (f2f) mixed mode (on campus students attend traditional f2f on campus classes and off campus students study exclusively online) versus fully online mode, utilising flipped classes (all student study off campus engaging in flipped virtual classes). Final course grades were similar for both deliveries; however, the study suggests flipped classes offered students more opportunities to develop HOTs and engage more deeply in the learning process. Students’ evaluations of the online flipped delivery were mixed, with those students previously enrolled exclusively as on campus, particularly dissatisfied with fully online delivery and virtual class tutor experience. Recommendations are made concerning both the timing of the introduction of fully online delivery in a program and the need for continual up-skilling of staff who teach in online environments. 
[less]

This study aimed at investigating the effect of Blended Method (online and offline teaching and learning) and Traditional Method (offline teaching and learning), as the comparison, on students’ reading achievement. There were 200 college students involved in this study. Half of them were taught through a blended teaching method and half of them were taught through a traditional teaching method. The data were taken from the students’ final scores in the lectures which included scores of assignment, quiz, mid-term test, and final term test. The final scores of the two groups were compared to find out the effect of the blended teaching method and the traditional teaching method. The result showed that the scores of students who were taught through Blended Method were significantly better than the scores of students who were taught through Traditional Method. It indicates that utilizing new methods while maintaining good aspects of pre-existing methods has a positive impact on students’ achievement. 
[less]

Before arriving in a host country, international students may be motivated to complete some institutional requirements online. Many studies address computer-assisted instruction for second-language students, but few focus on fully online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing courses. This comparative case study, grounded in action research, examined the extent to which a fully online version of a graduate-level EAP course offered to international students at a North American university achieved comparable outcomes to a face-to-face version. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of study participants’ performance and course evaluations indicated that the outcomes and student satisfaction of both cohorts were comparable. However, an examination of the participants’ final research papers and online interactions revealed differences and challenges. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future online courses provide more instruction on source integration, library research, and building an interactive learning community. Overall, the findings suggest that when carefully designed, assessed, and refined, fully online courses hold strong promise in EAP academic writing contexts. 
[less]

This study investigates the impact of blended learning—which combines face-to-face classroom instruction with online-mediated instruction—in the context of Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) pre-university science students. Although blended learning is a relatively recent addition to the college science classroom, studies have demonstrated that blended learning can create a more positive and active learning environment, and enhance both the quality of instruction and student learning outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Today, blended learning approaches are increasingly adopted in classrooms across North American colleges and universities, yet blended learning has received limited attention in the context of CEGEP pre-university programs. The present study sought to address this gap by examining the effectiveness of instruction in the mechanics course in the physics pre-university program at an English CEGEP, comparing the blended learning approach and the traditional lecture-based instruction. The results suggest that the blended learning approach leads to more conceptual change, acquisition of more skills, and higher performance. The findings of this research provide valuable implications and encouragement for future implementations of blended learning in CEGEPs. 
[less]

Research has suggested that learning approaches such as blended learning can enhance both the quality of instruction and student learning outcomes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) education. However, little is known about how such instructional approaches affect learning outcomes in the context of Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) pre-university science students. The present study focused on a college Mechanics course at a CEGEP that used blended learning, and compared the affects of the two learning modes (blended versus traditional) on student academic performance. Overall, the study revealed that students in the blended classroom (treatment) experienced more conceptual change and higher performance compared to the students in the traditional lecture-based class (control group). The findings offer support for the push to implement alternative approaches to instruction such as blended learning. Moreover, the study also improves understanding of the affects of approaches such as blended learning on understudied samples such as CEGEPs. 
[less]

Objective:
Student satisfaction and student performance are of primary concern when classroom pedagogy is changed. We determine the equivalence of two teaching methodologies in a clinical microbiology course using test scores as the measure of student performance.
Methods:
The two teaching methodologies examined were a traditional lecture-based method face-to-face (F2F) method and an inverted classroom method (ICM). Student perceptions of the ICM method were measured using a course survey in which students were asked to compare their experiences in the ICM class with experiences in a traditional F2F class. Classroom exams were administered in the same way in the traditional F2F lecture and ICM courses. Student test averages obtained in both pedagogies were compared for equivalence using an independent samples t-test. A six-question survey was developed to assess student perception of the ICM classroom compared to that for the traditional lecture-based classroom.
Results:
Test performance of students in the ICM was equivalent to that of students receiving traditional F2F lectures. Mean difference between test scores for the ICM and traditional F2F groups was 1.9 points (95% confidence interval [CI],4.0–0.14). Survey responses indicated that respondents feel positively about self-learning in ICM and prefer the flexibility provided by ICM.
Conclusion:
This study provides evidence that the ICM method of teaching clinical microbiology can replace the traditional F2F method without loss of student performance. Respondent perceptions of the inverted classroom were positive, with students favoring the flexibility. 
[less]

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of web-facilitated and hybrid course delivery formats on student learning outcomes for four sections of an undergraduate Personal Health course at a public institution. This is a quasi-experimental study. Two sections were taught as hybrid classes and two sections were taught as web-facilitated classes. A total of 181 undergraduate students from across the university participated in the study. Student learning outcomes were measured by comparing quiz scores and final course grade. Instructor evaluation ratings were also compared. Results indicate that student-learning gains were similar regardless of delivery format. There were no significant differences in objective quiz scores or final grade between the delivery formats. The instructor mean evaluation score was significantly higher for the web-facilitated format. Although the students’ performance is comparable in both delivery formats students prefer web-facilitated courses with more face-to-face interactions with the instructor to hybrid courses. Examining student technological capabilities and motivation in web-facilitated and hybrid courses is necessary to improve evaluations. 
[less]

While the equivalence between online and traditional classrooms has been well-researched, very little of this includes college-level introductory Physics. Only one study explored Physics at the whole-class level rather than specific course components such as a single lab or a homework platform. In this work, we compared the failure rate, grade distribution, and withdrawal rates in an introductory undergraduate Physics course across several learning modes including traditional face-to-face instruction, synchronous video instruction, and online classes. Statistically significant differences were found for student failure rates, grade distribution, and withdrawal rates but yielded small effect sizes. Post-hoc pair-wise test was run to determine differences between learning modes. Online students had a significantly lower failure rate than students who took the class via synchronous video classroom. While statistically significant differences were found for grade distributions, the pair-wise comparison yielded no statistically significance differences between learning modes when using the more conservative Bonferroni correction in post-hoc testing. Finally, in this study, student withdrawal rates were lowest for students who took the class in person (in-person classroom and synchronous video classroom) than online. Students that persist in an online introductory Physics class are more likely to achieve an A than in other modes. However, the withdrawal rate is higher from online Physics courses. Further research is warranted to better understand the reasons for higher withdrawal rates in online courses. Finding the root cause to help eliminate differences in student performance across learning modes should remain a high priority for education researchers and the education community as a whole. 
[less]