MyPsychLab Helps Students Improve Their Grades

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Presented at APS Conference in Chicago, May 2004

Effectiveness of On-line vs. Traditional Study Materials
in an Introductory Psychology Course

Arlene R. Lundquist, PhD
Melissa R. Curtis
Utica College
Utica, New York 13502

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of, and preference for using online versus traditional study materials in an introductory psychology course. Students in the online group reported greater satisfaction, more frequently accessed study materials, and earned higher overall grades. Satisfaction and access to study materials comparisons were statistically significant.

Introduction

In a time when technology is espoused as the "golden goose" of education, it is unclear if undergraduate students are as enamored with the process as much as educators and college administrators. The literature available is consistent in reporting both the positive and negative aspects of using on-line learning tools as an adjunct to classroom based instruction. The case for on-line learning in the classroom points to access, convenience, and independent learning to support its use. The case against on-line learning in the classroom includes issues of access (computer problems), lack of computer expertise, and lack of ready help for problem-solving.

Therefore, the purpose of this study was tri-fold:

We wanted to evaluate preferences for the use of on-line technology versus the more traditional study materials (instructor/professional study guides, handouts, paper/pencil quizzes, etc.).
We wanted to investigate whether on-line course tools enhance student's learning as measured by final course grades and performance on a pre-test and post-test of questions students who have completed and Introductory Psychology course should know.
We wanted to investigate whether students preferred one course manager over another.

Method

Sample

Fifty-six male and female Introductory Psychology students participated in this study.
Participants comprised two sections of the same class, taught by the same instructor.
Eighty-two percent of the sample were first year students.
The mean GPA of the overall sample was 2.38 as determined at the end of the semester. The mean GPA of each section did not significantly differ.

Materials

Text: Mastering the World of Psychology (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2003)
On-line Course Managers:

Control Group: WebCT (v. 4.1);
Experimental Group: CourseCompass© (Allyn & Bacon, 2003) powered by Blackboard©

Study Material Format: MyPsychLab© (Allyn & Bacon, 2004); Student Solutions Manual (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2004)
45-item Pre/Post Test on general psychology information
Open-ended questionnaire regarding preferences for class-room based vs. on-line learning

Procedure

The sample was divided into two groups based upon the section of Introductory Psychology that a student had enrolled in.
Both sections were conducted in a "Smart Classroom" on the college campus
Both classes were trained on the use of the on-line course manager designed for their respective section. Section A received an instructor designed course using WebCT version 4.1 and Section B received access to a website generated by the textbook publisher through CourseCompass© powered by Blackboard©.
Both course managers included access to lectures, e-mail, the course syllabus, a calendar, and the grade book.
Teaching methods in each section were identical including instructor, texts, tests, assignments, etc.
The study materials available to students differed for each section.
- Section A, the traditional group, received a study guide (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2004) with solutions to additional quizzes/tests found in the textbook.
- Section B, the on-line group, received access to a website that provided additional study methods via MyPsychLab©.
The method for taking quizzes differed for each section.
- Section A students, the traditional group, took open book paper/pencil quizzes given by the instructor that were identical to those accessible through MyPsychLab© .
- The on-line supplement available to Section B provided quizzes with immediate analysis of student scores that generated a study plan for the student.
As a part of the class, both sections were administered a pre-test of knowledge about psychology. Both sections were administered the same test at the end of the semester.
Included with both pre- and post-tests were questions regarding students' use of hard copy study guide and the on-line study guide, as well as the other course materials, and their satisfaction with the teaching method used in each group's section.
Both on-line course managers include a tracking mechanism to verify student usage with what they reported.

Results

Students in the MyPsychLab© section reported using their study materials significantly more than the WebCT section with off-line study materials, both in the beginning of the semester (t=2.025, p<.05) and at the conclusion of the semester (t=2.226, p<.05)
There was a significant correlation between how much a student used their study materials and their final grade in the class (r=+.59, p<.001).
Students in the MyPsychLab© section earned higher grades than those in the WebCT section, with the difference approaching significance (t=1.828, p=.07).
There were no differences in pretest scores of the groups, but the MyPsychLab© section earned higher grades than those in the WebCT group on the post test (t=1.809, p=.07).
Overall, students did not significantly prefer one course manager over the other; WebCT or CourseCompass©.
However students did report significantly greater satisfaction with materials provided in the MyPsychLab© group than the group using traditional offline materials (t=2.025, p<.05).

Discussion

The goal of this research was to determine the effectiveness of, and preference for using on-line versus traditional study methods. Whereas, the specific course manager was not important to students (they liked both), they did prefer using study materials made available through MyPsychLab© and their performance was 5 percentage points higher than those who did not.

Preliminary analysis of the open ended questionnaire data suggests three main reasons. Students liked the immediate feedback provided by the MyPsychLab© study plan, the 24 hour access to the study materials and the textbook, and the interactive demonstrations provided. Students in the traditional study method group disliked having to carry around their text and study materials, and did not like having to take quizzes in class (even though they were open book).

Finally, both groups appear to like the use of on-line materials in a classroom-based setting, but few felt that a completely on-line course would be to their advantage.