A Multi-Semester Comparison of Student Performance between Multiple Traditional and Online Sections of Two Management Courses

Abstract

This multi-semester (eight semesters), multi-course study compared student performance in undergraduate online and traditional sections of "Organization and Management" with sample sizes of 380 and 213, respectively. Concurrent online and traditional sections of "Strategic Management" courses with sample sizes of 298 and 456, respectively, were also comparatively analyzed. Similar to previous research (Borthick & Jones, 2000; Gagne & Shepherd, 2001; Piccoli, Ahman, Ives, 2001), this study found no statistically significant difference in student performance between online and traditional classes in both management courses after examining eight semesters of data. However, this study found gender differences with both management courses. Literature Review Related Computer-mediated Communication & Asynchronous Learning Networks Research Relevant research from the distance learning literature, focusing on computer-mediated communication (CMC) and asynchronous learning networks (ALN), will be used to provide insight into the web-based learning environment (Harasim, 1990; Hiltz, Johnson, & Turoff, 1986). CMC has been considered distinct from non-CMC in that it can be interactive. CMC can also allow the substance and process of the interactions to be archivable, retrievable, and revisable (Harasim, 1990). It can also alleviate time and place-dependent constraints sometimes associated with synchronous communication in the learning environment (Hiltz & Wellman, 1997). Synchronous and asynchronous are two modes of communication that can be used in traditional and web-based classes. Many of today's business schools' physical classrooms come equipped with various types of instructional technology (e.g., data ports, video equipment, fiber optics) to facilitate the instructors' ability to convey knowledge synchronously (in the same physical location at the same time) to the

A Comparative Analysis of Student Performance in an Online vs. Face-to-Face Environmental Science Course From 2009 to 2016

“…There exists the possibility that the F2F learners in this study may have been more capable than the online students and vice versa. This limitation also applies to gender and class rank differences (Friday et al, 2006). Finally, there may have been ease of familiarity issues between the two sets of learners.…”

The ABC's of Online Course Design According to Addie Model

“…In literature, there are a number of experimental studies and related meta-analyses compering online learning and traditional learning (For example, [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. In some of these studies, no difference was found between the two methods [20,21,23,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] while some of them reported that online learning could be as effective as and even more effective than traditional learning (For example, [22,27,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44].…”

What Might Online Delivery Teach Us About Blended Management Education? Prior Perspectives and Future Directions

“…In contrast, purely online courses in management education generally have shown either no significant difference in learning outcomes or a migration toward equivalent outcomes (Arbaugh, 2000; Borthick & Jones, 2000; Friday, Friday-Stroud, Green, & Hill, 2006; Grandzol, 2004; Kock et al, 2007), with some less favorable outcome comparisons in quantitatively oriented courses (Anstine & Skidmore, 2005; Brown & Liedholm, 2002; Coates, Humphreys, Kane, & Vachris, 2004). Although comparison studies have shown online environments to yield more positive group cohesion and collaboration (Hansen, 2008; Heckman & Annabi, 2005), they also have shown lower learner satisfaction with the delivery medium (Piccoli, Ahmad, & Ives, 2001; Weber & Lennon, 2007).…”