ResearchReview of Online Learning Studies

Barbara MeansYukie ToyamaRobert MurphyMarianne BakiaKarla Jones…………….Means et al. (2010), respectively.

Means et al. (Sept, 2010).Prepared report for the U.S. Dept.

of Educ.Evaluation of Evidence-Based

Practices in Online LearningCompared Online, Blended, &

Face-to-FaceCompared Blended & Online

Means et al. (Sept, 2010).Found students in online conditions

performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through face-to-face instruction.

Found blending & purely online environments had similar learning outcomes.

Found Online learning favorable when media was interactive and supported with content focused videos.

Means et al. (Sept, 2010).Found advantages for

asynchronous over synchronous deliveries.

Found asynchronous instruction superior to synchronous

Found advantages in online assessments and online writing assignments.

Found advantages for self-assessments at the end of weekly modules

Zhao et al. (2005)Found advantages for Blended

learning.◦Instructor involvement was a strong

mediating variable◦Instructor involvement became

dominate and peer-to-peer involvement became minimized

Cook et al. (2005)Found that “self-assessment”

questions at the end of modules improved student learning.

Shen, Lee, and Tsai (2007)Found that students who

received instruction on self-regulation (managing study time, goal-setting, and self evaluation) performed better in online environments, but not significantly better.

Bixler et al. (2008)Found that promoting self-reflection,

self-regulation, and self-monitoring leads to more positive outcomes.

Found that question prompts (asking students to reflect on their problem-solving activities) leads to more positive outcomes.

Found that asking students to provide explanations for their work leads to positive outcomes.

Bernard et al. (2006)Found no significant difference in

face-to-face and online study/project groups.

Caldwell (2006)Found no significant difference in

performances on multiple choice tests in an online vs. blended environment.◦Instruction for both was web-based◦The blended course had a face-to-

face lab; where as the purely online had an online lab.

◦Assessments were web-based.

Scoville and Buskirk (2007) Found no significant difference in

learning when:◦Learning & testing FTF◦Learning was web-based & testing

was FTF◦Learning was FTF and testing web-

based◦Learning web-based & testing was

web-based.

McNamara et al. (2008)Found no significant difference in

◦Instruction in a FTF◦Instruction in both online & FTF◦Instruction purely online

Zhang et al. (2006) Found that student achievement

scores were modestly better when interactive videos were implemented into all three environments.

VoiceThread doddling ToolMulti-Screen Video with transcriptInteractive Video Platform

Ryan (2007)Found no significant difference in

collaborative tools◦Online group had interaction with

instructor, online collaboration blogs, and social networks

◦FTF group had no interaction with collaboration blogs or social networks

Kerfoot (2008)Found no significant difference

◦Online instruction◦Mobile phone delivery of instruction◦Email delivery delivery of instruction◦Blog delivery of instruction

Choi et al. (2005)Found improvements in student

achievement & student retention when principles of design were applied to online courses.

Principles of design