Comparative And Non-comparative Study

Sultan Qaboos University College of Education ILT Department

Comparative and non-Comparative Studies

Done by: Khadeeja Al-Shidhani 61344 Amal Al-Balushi 66755

Comparative Analysis of Learner Satisfaction and Learning Outcomes in Online and Face-to-Face Learning Environments Scottd. Johnson, Steven R. Aragon, Najmuddin Shaik, & Nilda Palma-Rivas University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Type: Perception and performance study. Research Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare an online course with an equivalent course taught in a traditional face-to-face format. Comparisons included student ratings of instructor and course quality; assessment of course interaction, structure, and support; and learning outcomes such as course projects, grades, and student self-assessment of their ability to perform various ISD tasks. Research Questions: 1. What differences exist in satisfaction with the learning experience of students enrolled in online versus face-to-face learning environments? 2. What differences exist in student perceptions of student/instructor interaction, course structure, and course support between students enrolled in online versus face-to-face learning environments? 3. What differences exist in the learning outcomes (i.e., perceived content knowledge, quality of course projects, and final course grades) of students enrolled in online versus face-to-face learning environments? Subject: The subject of this study includes 38 students enrolled in an instructional design course. 19 students were taught face-to-face while the other 19 students were taught online. Instruments: •

The university’s Instructor and Course Evaluation System (ICES) was used to obtain general student perceptions of the quality of their learning experience.

•

The Course Interaction, Structure, and Support (CISS) instrument which is a hybrid instrument from: o The Distance and Open Learning Scale (DOLES) instrument which used to assess student perceptions of their learning experience. o The Dimensions of Distance Education (DDE) instrument which provides a further assessment of the learning environment.

Advantages: •

More than one instrument was used to collect data.

Disadvantages: •

Only tools for quantitative analysis were used without using of any type of qualitative analysis tools.

Results: 1. Student Satisfaction: On the student satisfaction indicators, instructor quality and course quality, both groups provided positive ratings, although the face-to-face group displayed more positive views than the online group. 2. Perceptions of course interaction, structure and support: Overall, both groups of students had positive perceptions, with the face-to-face students having significantly more positive views for interaction and support. 3. Learning Outcomes (Course grades): Course Format Face-to-Face Online Total

n 19 19 38

Course Grade A 13 13 26

% 68% 68% 68%

B 2 1 3

% 11% 6% 8%

C 2 2 4

% 11% 11% 11%

I 2 3 5

% 11% 16% 13%

References: •

http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewFullText&paper _id=8371

Evaluation of the development of metacognitive knowledge supported by the knowcat system Manoli Pifarre´ . Ruth Cobos

Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2009

Research type: non-comparative The aim of this Research: was to examine the development of the metacognitive knowledge of a group of higher education students who participated actively in an experiment based on a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning environment called KnowCat. Research methodology Participants: Eighteen university students participated in the research. Instrument: The interviewer asked students to describe their learning processes and contextual interpretations of their interactions to the content of the two main KnowCat knowledge elements: interactions with the documents (access to others’ documents and document versions) and interactions with the notes (sent and received notes). Disadvantages: The researchers have used interviews as the only tool for qualitative evaluation, without any quantitative evaluation tool.

Research results: The interview data show that interactions of students with their classmates’ documents encourage them to compare their own cognitive strategies to solve the task with the others’. Results also show that students are aware of how the characteristics of the KnowCat educational process had a strong incidence in their cognition-metacognitive knowledge of task and context category. Results revealed a high level of awareness that students received through note contribution as it proved to be a unique opportunity to monitor and regulate their cognitive strategies to solve the task. These results show evidence that the KnowCat note knowledge element was helpful in assisting students develop constituent components of metacognition i.e., planning, monitoring, evaluating and revising their learning activities to solve the tasks efficiently.

Reference: http://www.springerlink.com/content/87v06t9523380k72/