Volume 11, Number 2 2000
Structured Supportversus Learner Choice via the World Wide Web (WWW): Where is thePayoff?
Betty Collis, Koos Winnips, and Jef Moonen 131Margaret Martinez and C. Victor Bunderson 163The Use and Effects ofWeb-Based Instruction: Evidence From a Single-Source Study
Amy X. Y. Lu, Jonathan J. H. Zhu, and MichaelStokes 197Thomas Fox McManus 219BETTY COLLIS, KOOS WINNIPS, and JEF MOONEN
Faculty of Educational Science & Technology,University of Twente,Postbox 2177500 AE Enschede, The Netherlandscollis@edte.utwente.nl, winnips@edte.utwente.nl,moonen@edte.utwente.nl
In this exploratory study, students were given the choice of twoforms of participation in a course. One form involved structuredinstructor support, in which the students were required to submitwork via the WWW for regular feedback from the instructor and also tomake use of various WWW-based tools in the different phases of theirwork. The other form of participation made the same possibilities andtools available but did not require or structure their use. Althoughthis exploratory study was not carried out under strict experimentalconditions, the results of comparing the 18 students in thestructured-support approach with the 7 students in the learner-choiceform showed that, although students in the structured-support variantspent twice as much time on the course as did students in thelearner-choice variant, there was no significant difference betweenthe groups in terms of overall performance on the final examinationand little difference in attitudes. Dividing the test questions intoknowledge-type and transfer-type questions did show a marginallysignificant (p=.054) difference in performance ontransfer-type questions favouring the structured-support group,although these results are no more than pointers for further researchgiven the exploratory nature of the study. Reflections based on thestudy are presented, particularly related to the costs and benefitsof the two forms of participation in terms of instructor and learnertime.
MARGARET MARTINEZ and C. VICTOR BUNDERSON
Brigham Young UniversityCollege of EducationInstructional Psychology and Technology DepartmentMCKB 105mProvo, UT 86602-1114 USAmaggiez99z@cs.com
This investigation examined individual learning differences andadaptive learning in interactive World Wide Web (Web or WWW) learningenvironments from a new perspective. This perspective differs fromtraditional highly cognitive approaches because it highlights thedominant influence of emotions and intentions and their impact onlearning. The study introduced learner-difference profiles calledlearning orientations and the System for Intentional Learning andPerformance Assessment (SILPA), an interactive Web learningenvironment, to investigate how individuals manage learning inenvironments designed to support learning orientations. To accomplishthis purpose, this study used learning orientation to (a) add thelearner-difference dimension to the research design and analyticalmodels (b) differentiate the learning audience, (c) guide the designof the learning environment and presentation of the treatment, and(d) make interpretations about the results. A secondary purpose wasto test the SILPA as a promising new instructional and formativeresearch model for Web learning.
Using a 3 X 3 factorial research design and multiple univariateanalyses of variance, the researcher examined the effects andinteractions on four variables (intentional learning performance,achievement, frustration, and learning efficacy). The findingsrevealed statistically significant effects and interactions amongthree research groups. The results show how learning orientations canhelp educators understand how to match instruction and presentationto support successful learning in Web environments.
Amy X. Y. Lu, Jonathan J. H. Zhu, and Michael Stokes
City University of Hong Kong83 Tat Chee Ave.Kowloon, Hong KongApxylu@cityu.edu.hk
Although Web-based instruction (WBI) has been widely heralded forits effective, efficient, and enjoyable functions for teaching andlearning, there is little solid evidence for the effectiveness of WBIon learning outcomes. The problem lies in part in the imprecise andinsensitive research methods used in WBI research. The current studyemployed a single-source method that was originally used inadvertising research to test the impact of WBI on learning. The testdata came from a sample of 90 freshmen university students taking aModern Physics course. The log file of WebCT, a Web-basedinstructional package, provided measures of Web use behavior whereasexam scores constitute measures of learning outcome. A baselinesurvey provided four sets of variables for control purpose. Multipleregression analyses revealed strong evidence that use of relevantWorld Wide Web (Web) content does improve learning significantly.Equally interesting was the finding that surfing of irrelevantcontent on the Web actually impedes learning. Implications for thedesign and implementation of WBI are discussed.
Thomas Fox McManus
Department of Educational Leadership
Saginaw Valley Sate University
7400 Bay Rd, University Center, MI 48710 USA
mcmanus@svsu.edu
This study attempted to determine what combination of nonlinearityand advance organizers worked best for learners with given levels ofself-regulation. While the results of the study showed no significantmain effects or interactions, there were two near significantinteractions: between nonlinearity and self-regulated learning (p =0.054), and between nonlinearity and advance organizers (p = 0.052).These results strongly suggest that highly self-regulating learnerslearn poorly in mostly linear web-based hypermedia learningenvironments, where they have very few choices, while mediumself-regulating learners learn poorly in highly nonlinearenvironments where they are given too many choices. The results alsostrongly suggest that advance organizers are more effective in highlynonlinear web-based hypermedia learning environments than in mostlylinear environments. While not conclusive, the results of this studysupport further research.