The use of feedback in web-based instruction : achievement, feedback study time, and efficiency

UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Delinda D. Jones (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/

Abstract: The purpose of this research study is to compare the effects of an instructional treatment that presented adaptive feedback based on students’ perceptions about their answer correctness with a nonadaptive treatment on student performance, feedback study time, and lesson efficiency in a computer-based environment. Because of advances in technology, the instruction was delivered in a Web-based environment. Two versions of the Web-based lesson were designed. The lesson consisted of a pretest, a tutorial, and a posttest. The pre- and posttest were similar in that they tested students’ ability to classify defined concepts, a higher cognitive task. The tutorial presented instructional text with inserted verbal information questions. Undergraduate volunteers enrolled in entry level education courses in the Watson School of Education were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups. One group received varied feedback information based upon the combined assessment of response correctness and the student’s response certitude. The other group received feedback information that did not vary. Results indicate that the effects of adaptive feedback were not significantly different from the effects of nonadaptive feedback on concept learning. In the adaptive group, high certitude wrongs, low certitude corrects, and low certitude wrong responses resulted in higher feedback study time than high certitude correct responses. High certitude significantly correlated with fine discrimination errors in concept learning. In terms of feedback efficiency, adaptive feedback was significantly more efficient than nonadaptive feedback; however, for overall lesson efficiency, there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups. These results are discussed in terms of cost-benefit implications for the design of effective Web-based instruction. Implications for future research are discussed in reference to results of this study and past research.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science
Language: English
Date: 2009
Keywords
Feedback (Psychology), Instructional systems, Internet in education--United States, Web-based instruction--United States
Subjects
Web-based instruction -- United States
Internet in education -- United States
Instructional systems
Feedback (Psychology)

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