Effects of Web-based Cognitive Apprenticeship and Time Management on the Development of Computing Skills in Cloud Classroom

Abstract

Web-based learning is generally a solitary process without teachers' on-the-spot assistance. In this study, a quasi-experiment was conducted to explore the effects of various combinations of Web-Based Cognitive Apprenticeship (WBCA) and Time Management (TM) on the development of students' computing skills. Three class cohorts of 124 freshmen in a one-semester course titled ‘Applied Information Technology: Data Processing' were chosen for the empirical study. They were divided into three groups: two experimental groups (G1, n=42; G2, n=40) and one control group (G3, n=42). The goal of this research is to examine the effects of WBCA, TM, and their combination on undergraduates' learning, and further develop appropriate course design and online teaching methods for both teachers and schools. The results show that students who received WBCA and TM had higher grades than those without. The authors further discuss the implications of the findings and results for online teachers and scholars.