Progress 08/01/04 to 07/31/07
Outputs
Project research addressed the effectiveness and impact of recent distance education teaching innovations for faculty and students. In one study, all students enrolled in 43 distance course from a broad range of courses taught at Ohio State were contacted and asked to be part of the study; 539 students participated in the study, completing two online surveys. Data on current enrollment and past performance were obtained from the registrar. Instructors were surveyed to identify course design features. Multivariate statistical methods were used to evaluate how course design methods impacted student performance and satisfaction with the course. We found that relatively few course design features were statistically significant in explaining performance or satisfaction. More important were student attributes, reason for enrolling in the course and work and personal schedules. A second study involved statistical comparison of student performance and satisfaction for two
course sections that differed only in that one section was taught in a traditional face-to-face lecture format (88 students) and the other was taught as a web-based distance class (29 students). Both sections were offered the same quarter, and both groups of students completed identical exams, quizzes, and homework assignments and were graded identically. We found that students enrolled at distance were not largely different from traditional students in demographic characteristics or previous academic experiences. We did observe differences in learning styles between the two groups, suggesting that students self-select to distance courses based on learning style preferences. There were no significant differences in student performance between the sections. Student satisfaction was higher for the distance version of the course. A third element of the study considered the resource implications of distance instruction from the perspective of the individual instructor. This was evaluated
for conversion of an existing course to a web-based distance offering. For the case class, the instructor spent 45 hours converting the class to web-based distance format. For this case, no special software or other resources were required, so instructor time was the only resource consumed in conversion. Detailed time logs were also maintained for the teaching of these two course sections. The traditional course, which included 36 hours of lecture time, required 105 hours in total to teach. The distance course required no time for lectures, but required significantly more time for communication and coordination of activities. In total, the distance section required 47 hours to administer all components. On a per student basis, this is 1.61 hours per student for the smaller distance section versus 1.22 hours per student to teach to the traditional lecture format. If the size of the distance section were to increase, the time commitment per student would become more comparable to that
of the traditional course.
PRODUCTS: The project involved basic research addressing the impact of distance course design features on student performance and satisfaction as well as instructor-level economics of teaching distance versus traditional courses. These results are presented in two unpublished papers available to peers at our internet site. Two journal articles also are being prepared to more widely distribute these results. A more tangible product was the conversion of an existing class to a distance format. This course has been taught once to a group of 29 students, and will be offered again in the future.
OUTCOMES: An introductory agribusiness management class was converted to web distance format. This will facilitate non-traditional students, students with course schedule conflicts, and traditional students who have heavy, fixed time commitments to work and family. Some of the modules used in this course also could be used to supplement the traditional version of the course. Insights gleaned from the study of students drawn from 43 distance courses at Ohio State will be helpful to educators designing future distance classes.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Two papers have been prepared, summarizing the results of the statistical analyses of distance education courses. These papers are distributed through the project web site, along with details of the study. Two journal articles are in draft form and will be submitted to journals later this year.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: The distance course prepared during this project will continue to be offered in the future. Our department will consider expanding the use of distance-offered courses in our undergraduate curriculum. In addition, we are likely to employ distance technologies for supplemental modules in traditional face-to-face classes using auxiliary web sites. It also allows for the potential for "reusable modules" that can be employed in subsequent classes for student refreshers on specific content (self-study).
Impacts
Our study provided a number of insights that are likely to influence distance course design by others. We observed self-selection of students into traditional and distance courses based on individual learning style differences. We documented that distance students, held to the same learning expectations, can perform equally and be just as (or more) satisfied with the course as those in traditional sections. We also provided measures of instructor time commitments to develop and teach a distance class that suggest that, given moderate class size, the distance course will consume about the same number of instructor hours per student as a traditional course.
Publications
- Batte, Marvin T. "Comparison of Student Performance and Satisfaction in Distance and Face-to-Face Course Offerings: A Case Study of AED Econ 401." AEDE-RP-0086-07, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, The Ohio State University, July 2007.
- Batte, Marvin T. "Factors Influencing Student Performance and Satisfaction in Distance Education Classes." AEDE-RP-0087-07, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, The Ohio State University, July 2007.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Project research addresses the effectiveness and impact of recent distance education teaching innovations for faculty and students in the food and agricultural sciences academic program area. Multivariate statistical methods are being used to evaluate various distance education approaches with the goal to identify how various course design and dissemination methods impact student performance and satisfaction with the course. Statistical analyses of these data are currently underway. Also, an introductory Agribusiness Management course (AED Econ 401) has been converted to a web-based distance education course. Time and other costs of converting the course were recorded. This distance course is being offered during the autumn quarter, 2006 (September-December). A traditional lecture-based section also is being offered by the same instructor. Time to teach the both courses is being recorded and will used to compute instructor costs of teaching using each method.
Statistical methods will be used to compare student performance and satisfaction for the two sections as well.
PRODUCTS: None to date
OUTCOMES: Student and faculty surveys have been completed but the statistical analyses are still underway. Economic analyses of distance versus traditional courses are beginning.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: An Internet web site has been developed to disseminate project publications and outcomes as they develop. Journal publication of results is planned for later this year. Other forms of publication of results to teachers and students are planned.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Project objective #2 involves assessing the economics of distance education from the perspectives both of students and faculty. Survey work has been completed that will provide some insight into this question. Analyses are underway. In addition, a case study of conversion of AED Econ 401 to a web-based distance course is underway. A careful accounting of all costs will be made in parallel with that development. Finally, project objective #3 involves the conversion of AED Economic 401 to a asynchronous, web -based distance class. Since the project proposal was submitted, Ohio State decided to convert from WebCT to Desire to Learn as their supported course management system. This change has delayed my development efforts. For this reason, I have requested a no-cost extension of the project to allow completion of objective 3 in summer and fall of 2006.
Impacts
Because none of the three objectives has yet been completed, it is too early to assess project impacts.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Project research addresses the effectiveness and impact of recent distance education teaching innovations for faculty and students in the food and agricultural sciences academic program area. Multivariate statistical methods are being used to evaluate various distance education approaches with the goal to identify how various course design and dissemination methods impact student performance and satisfaction with the course. A broad range of distance courses taught at Ohio State were identified for each of the Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters of academic year 2004-2005. All enrolled students were contacted by e-mail as asked to complete two online survey instruments -- one each at the beginning and ending of the quarter. The surveys addressed student perception of online versus traditional courses, employment during the quarter, place from which the course was completed (home or campus), and other factors that would likely impact opportunity costs of completing the
course and student performance in and satisfaction with the course. The course instructor also was contacted and asked to identify the primary teaching methods employed in the course. Statistical analyses of these data are currently underway.
PRODUCTS: None to date.
OUTCOMES: Student and faculty surveys have been completed but the statistical analyses are still underway. Economic analyses of distance versus traditional courses are beginning. Conversion of the course to a distance version is planned for later this year.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: An Internet web site has been developed to disseminate project publications and outcomes as they develop. Journal publication of results is planned for later this year. Other forms of publication of results to teachers and students are planned.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: Project objective #2 involves assessing the economics of distance education from the perspectives both of students and faculty. Survey work has been completed that will provide some insight into this question. Analyses are underway. In addition, a case study of conversion of AED Econ 401 to a web-based distance course will occur later this year or next. A careful accounting of all costs will be made in parallel with that development. Finally, project objective #3 involves the conversion of AED Economic 401 to a asynchronous, web -based distance class. Since the project proposal was submitted, Ohio State decided to convert from WebCT to Desire to Learn as their supported course management system. This change has delayed my development efforts. For this reason, I will request a no-cost extension of the project to allow completion of objective 3 in summer and fall of 2006.
Impacts
Because none of the three objectives has yet been completed, it is too early to assess project impacts.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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