Efficacy of Web-based Instruction

This post is in response to a recent report I read, The Efficacy of Web-Based Instruction at York University: A Case Study of Modes of Reasoning, 1730. The report was done by J. Paul Grayson, Suzanne E. MacDonald, and Jean Saindon (2001) at the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies York University, Toronto.



The focus of this paper is on the academic achievement and course satisfaction of students taking

Modes of Reasoning 1730, which centered on critical reasoning skills. The course was offered by the same instructor in two sections, one in class, and one over the web. Of interest was whether the academic performance of web students would be comparable to that of traditional in-class students, after adjustments were made for prior levels of achievement and learning styles. Results showed that grades of in-class students on every form of evaluation were higher than those of web students, even after adjustments had been made for prior grades and learning styles (pg. 1).


The major problem of their study is that it focuses on technology which in and of itself does NOT enhance learning. Effective learning on the web or in a classroom is dependent on the skills of the instructor to adapt to the needs of the students and the design of the instruction regardless of the technology involved (chalkboards, TV, computers, etc.....).

I think that it is ironic that the article deals with the efficacy of web-based instruction. What about the efficacy of traditional classroom which is accepted as the de facto standard and is always used for baseline comparisons.

As Downes and others have pointed out, the problem with comparative studies like this one is that they measure the affordances of new technology based on what they could achieve using traditional methods. It's like comparing what type of communication is possible with email vs. regular snail mail. What you can do with email is completely different than what can be accomplished with snail mail (i.e. attaching audio/ video files, mass distribution, immediate feedback, linking to relevant resources. Each form of communication has its advantages and disadvantages which are relatively self-evident. Neither is perfect so what is the point of comparing the two?

As I read the article it came as absolutely no surprise that the in-class students performed better on traditional testing methods than web-based students taking the same tests when both groups of students were exposed to traditional forms of instruction.

"Both sections had the same readings, essays, tests, and final exams, and the text of in-class lectures was posted on the web." (pg. 3) Those types of assessments reinforce the strategies that were used - ones which students are quite familiar with.

The teaching methods used represents a very limited range of instructional strategies. Perhaps a case-based model where the students could exercise the critical thinking skills they are supposed to be developing in the course would have been appropriate.

The web-based version of the course should not seek to replicate what occurs in the classroom, but should strive to achieve outcomes which are otherwise not possible, ie. engage students in deeper levels and different kinds of interaction because there is no time in class for everyone to provide input on a subject.

If anything web-instruction provides an opportunity to enhance learning styles because information can be represented and accessed in different ways. I witnessed an audio/ video conference between students at Carleton and Waterloo as they worked in real-time on a shared application to solve a problem. The cameras at the workstations were voice-activated and would point to individuals verbalizing their viewpoints.

How would one measure the 'value' of someone collaborating on a project with students from a different part of the world to make decisions collectively which represent a variety of perspectives they otherwise would not have been exposed to? To me that represents the true power of the technology: the ability to globalize learning. As anyone who has taken a course online will tell you, there is just as much you can learn if not even more from your fellow students than you can from the instructor. In addition you grow to understand different regional contexts for applying what is being learned. It also means you have an authentic audience in which to express yourself and not just a one way communication channel to the
instructor.

A case in point were the previous findings cited in the paper. "Importantly, in a post-course survey, web students reported more peer contact than the in-class group." (pg 7) Schutte (2000) speculated that the performance differences between the groups could be attributed to peer interaction rather than to the use of computer technology.

The study also does not account for the shift required by students in assuming greater responsibility for learning in a web-based environment. Some students do not prefer this because of the increased cognitive load required to process the information. They are forced to develop critical thinking skills to analyze information as opposed to having it spoon fed to them by an instructor.

As I have stated previously, web-based assessments should reflect what is possible in that learning environment. There is little value in research which points to the inability of online instruction to improve performance in traditional areas of assessment (multiple choice tests, essays).

I also think that the focus of the authors on the institutional impact on critical thinking skill development is misguided. The focus should be on the classroom/ web-based strategies which promote this skill.

The authors included the following quote, "Another limitation of previous research noted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy is inattention to the learning styles of students availing themselves of different modes of instructional delivery." (pg. 7)

What they are really saying is that the design of the instruction ie. lecture style on the web is incompatible with certain learning styles. It has nothing to do with the mode of delivery. Accommodations for different learning styles/ abilities can occur in any environment whether or not it actually takes place.

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