College Science via Internet: How effective is it?

Abstract

In this paper college science instruction via the Internet is examined from three perspectives: students' on-line learning experiences; a comparative examination of learning on-line versus traditional instruction; and instructors' experiences teaching on-line. The setting was a freshman-level human anatomy / physiology course. Three students participated in a collective case study to describe the learning environment created by the Internet course. Motivation, computer savvy, and self-confidence were important to their success. A quantitative study of the on-line course and the traditional course evaluated the comparative effectiveness of the learning environments. Achievement scores and survey results indicated content understanding and retention were not effected, while desirable student study habits were used more frequently in the Internet section. To better understand the instructional implications of on-line courses, a case study was conducted. Internet instructor's time commitment and level of teaching satisfaction were high. The instructor's role changed, causing some lessening of job satisfaction.