Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies

A systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008 identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened these studies to find those that (a) contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, (b) measured student learning outcomes, (c) used a rigorous research design, and (d) provided adequate information to calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. The difference between student outcomes for online and face-to-face classes—measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation—was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. Analysts noted that these blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions. This finding suggests that the positive effects associated with blended learning should not be attributed to the media, per se. An unexpected finding was the small number of rigorous published studies contrasting online and face-to-face learning conditions for K–12 students. In light of this small corpus, caution is required in generalizing to the K–12 population because the results are derived for the most part from studies in other settings (e.g., medical training, higher education)

The Role Of Cognitive And Metacognitive Reading Comprehension Strategies In The Reading And Interpretation Of Mathematical Word Problem Texts Reading Clinicians\u27 Perceptions Of Domain Relevance And Elementary Students\u27 Cognitive Strategy Use

The intent of this concurrent mixed method study was to examine teacher perceptions and student applications of cognitive reading comprehension strategy use as applied to the reading and interpretation of a mathematics word problem. Teachers’ perceptions of the relevance and application of cognitive reading comprehension strategies to mathematics contexts were investigated through survey methods. Additionally, students’ cognitive strategy use was explored by eliciting verbalization of cognition using think aloud protocol and clinical interview probes with purposively selected first through sixth-grade students. An experimental component of this study involved the random assignment of teachers to a professional development book study focused on either a) instructional methods supportive of integrated cognitive strategy instruction in reading and mathematics (treatment group) or b) a review of cognitive strategy instruction in reading (control group). The results of this study indicate that the elementary student participants did not recognize the cognitive comprehension strategies that they were using during the initial reading of the mathematical text as relevant to mathematics based text, which is why initial patterns of strategy use were not sustained or renegotiated, but were instead replaced or extinguished without replacement upon identification of the text as mathematical. This may be due to a lack of: 1) domain-general instruction, 2) varied text examples in their schooling, and/or 3) conditional knowledge instruction for strategy use, effects that may be caused by the students’ teachers’ own domain-specific perceptions of cognitive strategy use at the elementary level. The teachers in the treatment group demonstrated greater awareness of the relevance of cognitive reading comprehension strategies for mathematics text than the control group; however, there was no evidence that this new awareness impacted their instruction in this study. Implications for iv professional development, integrated cognitive strategy instruction, and contributions to existing literature are discussed

Using standardized test reading comprehension software to improve student academic achievement in reading comprehension

The purpose of this quantitative design research study for fourth grade students was to examine whether a web-based Standardized Test Preparation Intervention for reading comprehension was more effective and efficient in improving student academic achievement in reading comprehension than a paper-based Standarized Test Preparation Intervention. It was found that the paper-based reading comprehension intervention was equally effective as the web-based

Exploring Subtext Processing in Narrative Persuasion: The Role of Eudaimonic Entertainment Use Motivation and a Supplemental Conclusion Scene

This study sought to expand current narrative persuasion models by examining the role of subtext processing. The extended elaboration likelihood model suggests that transportation leads to persuasion by reducing counterarguments to stories’ persuasive subtexts. The model implicitly argues that transportation should reduce total subtext processing, including counterarguments and intended elaboration. But this study reasoned that people with stronger eudaimonic motivation to have meaningful entertainment experiences, would put more effort into processing stories’ subtexts while engaging with the narrative. Because less eudaimonically motivated individuals may be at risk for missing the subtext, it was also expected that adding a supplemental conclusion scene that reiterates the intended message would facilitate persuasion.Following a pre-test survey, 201 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to view an episode of the crime drama Numb3rs: one of two versions of “Harvest,” designed to promote organ donation (with or without a conclusion scene), or a control episode. After viewing, participants completed a thought-listing task and second survey. Results show that “Harvest” did not result in persuasive outcomes related to organ donation. Transportation was a marginally significant positive predictor of total subtext processing. Contrary to predictions, eudaimonic motivation negatively predicted amount of total subtext processing.Eudaimonic motivation also negatively (but marginally) predicted doctor mistrust, but this effect was moderated by conclusion condition: eudaimonic motivation was negatively associated with doctor mistrust only in the no conclusion condition. Eudaimonic motivation was also negatively (but marginally) associated with intended elaboration. Further examination showed that, compared to people with low eudaimonic motivation, those with high eudaimonic motivation were less likely to engage in intended elaboration, but only in the no conclusion condition. This pattern of findings provides indirect evidence that intended elaboration was responsible for decreasing doctor mistrust among people with high eudaimonic motivation who saw the conclusion. But surprisingly, intended elaboration was not directly related to any persuasive outcomes.The findings tentatively suggest that transportation and subtext processing can coexist and that eudaimonic motivation can affect the extent to which viewers engage in subtext processing during narrative engagement. The results also indicate that supplemental conclusions may be useful tools for narrative persuasion