Evaluation of a Web-based introductory psychology course: II. Contingency management to increase use of on-line study aids

Abstract

In a Web-basedgeneral psychology course, students were observed to postpone use of on-line study aids until 2 days prior to examinations, thus negating any influence of advance organizers (Taraban, Maki, & Rynearson, 1999). Weattempted to modify this behavior by providing course credit in the form of short quizzes as rewards for using on-line study aids to preview each chapter. Some students received quizzesafter previewing frequently asked questions (FAQ); other students received quizzes after previewing chapter outlines. Students who received quizzes for previewing FAQ pages accessed those pages more frequently than did students who received quizzes for previewing outline pages. Increased access to FAQs was associated with higher scores on FAQ-related midterm examination questions. However, the advantage on examination items was not apparent on a cumulative final examination. Navigationalstructures and reward values need to be considered when one is managing contingencies in Webcourses.There is now a widespread belief that information technology will improve student learning, increase access to higher education, and even help colleges and universities control costs (e.g., Bork, 1997;Dede, 1996;Twigg, 1999). In parallel, institutions of higher education continue to invest in computers and related technology and are increasingly using such technology to conduct educational activities at a distance. Unfortunately, these developments are outpacing the rate of research on cognitive and behavioral outcomes of technology-mediated education. For example, the authors of recent reviews of hypermedia (Dillon & Gabbard, 1998) and distance learning (Merisotis & Phipps, 1999) could discover few wellcontrolled experiments. The World-Wide Web (Web for short) is a set oftechnologies rooted in both hypermedia and distance learning that is being used for delivery of educational experiences both on and offcampus. Like its parent technologies, the educational use ofthe Web suffers from a lack of well-controlled research. We know rather little about how educational use ofthe Web influences student behaviors and learning outcomes.The study described in this paper is part of a larger research project aimed at providing data on student learning and satisfaction in a Web-based general psychology course (beginning with W. S. Maki & R. H. Maki, 1997 and satisfaction in the Web-based course in comparison with that in a lecture-based course. Students enrolled in a freshman general psychology course were taught with either of two methods. Some of the students were taught with the traditional lecture-test method. The remaining students were taught with materials distributed on the Web in place of lectures. During the academic year, the course was organized into eight Web sections and four lecture-test sections. In each of two semesters, each of two instructors was responsible for two Web sections and one lecture section. Thus, four Web sections and two lecture sections ofthe course were conducted each semester. The textbook and test items we...

Time as a variable in learning on the World-Wide Web

“…However, if students use computer materials primarily for cramming before exams (cf. Taraban et al, 1999), or if they fail to access the materials at all (Smeaton & Keogh, 1999), there may be a need to introduce changes into how a course is administered (Maki & Maki, 2000). In general, much can be gained by monitoring how students spend their time.…”

“…There is widespread belief that these new technologies can transform instruction for the better by providing a greater wealth of learning media and by increasing access to those resources, but this remains to be verified through controlled experiments (Maki & Maki, 2000). The new technologies encourage more student-directed and studentcontrolled learning (Smeaton & Keogh, 1999), but student outcomes do not always match instructors' expectations for how students will use computer-based learning tools (Taraban, Maki, & Rynearson, 1999).…”

Web-based Tutorials and Traditional Face-to-Face Lectures: A Comparative Analysis of Student Performance

“…Koch and Gobell (1999) found that Web-based tutorials led to improved accuracy in decisions about design and the correct choice of statistics in an advanced course on research methods and statistics. Likewise, Maki and Maki (2000) found that the use of Web-based multimedia tutorials resulted in higher learning gains when compared to face-to-face lectures, with equal results found in 2003 whereby students in the Web-based version of the course did slightly better than students in the lecture version. Andrewartha and Wilmont (2001) conducted a pilot study involving two non-random groups of volunteer media arts students.…”

“…The current study recognizes Web-based tutorials as a viable option for learning by citing studies in which students using Web-based tutorials achieved as well or better as those learning in the lecture format (Alavi, 1994;Beerman, 1996;Schutte, 1996;Koch and Gobell, 1999;Maki and Maki, 2000;Andrewartha and Wilmont, 2001;Scheines, et al, 2005;Donovan and Nakhleh, 2007;Osborn, 2010;Cheng and Swanson, 2011;Sargent, et al, 2011;He, et al, 2012).…”

The Effect of a Threaded Discussion Component on Student Satisfaction and Performance

“…Of these, any component or combination of components could be used in the classroom (Althaus, 1997;Kahn & Brookshire, 1991;Ouelette, 1999;Perse, Burton, Kovner, Lears, & Sen, 1992) to generate discussion outside of the classroom and to transmit information about the class from instructor to students or vice versa. Although these methods are commonly used (Falk, 1999), the body of empirical research evaluating the effectiveness and proper methods of use is lacking (Maki & Maki, 2000).…”