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The Impact of WebCT Innovations on Learning Outcomes

Only one source of data suggested that the online testing and adjustments to the class lectures had a positive impact on the learning outcomes. Prior to the WebCT intervention, Holt typically had to adjust the absolute grading curve downward some 10 percentage points (60/59% to 50/49%) to avoid failing an unacceptable number of students. However for the first time in the twelve years during which he has taught the course, he was required to drop the grading curve by only 1 percentage point.

Based on the same grading method, this would indicate that the performance of this class is about 5-9% above the performance of previous classes without the WebCT intervention. This interpretation of the data must be viewed with some caution since extraneous variables such as changes in course content and student composition of the class may have had an impact on the reliability of the grading scheme.

Student evaluations of the WebCT components of the course were mixed. Student responses concerning the self-assessments were broadly categorized into positive, neutral, and negative responses. Approximately one-third of the students had positive responses, one-third were neutral, and one-third had negative responses. The negative responses primarily focused on a perceived lack of effectiveness rather than a direct negative effect on learning. The positive responses primarily focused on keeping up with the readings and learning the class material. The positive responses imply that some students perceived a direct positive effect of the self-assessments on motivation to learn.

Student responses concerning the on-line quizzes were categorized into the same positive, neutral, and negative categories (Figure 4). Classifying responses to the quizzes was more difficult because each quiz contained two sets of focal questions: a set focused on the text material and a set focused on the associated class material. Approximately one-third of the students had positive responses. However, 11 of the 28 students were neutral or ambivalent, which was a slightly higher proportion than for the self-assessments. Several students seemed to have an ambivalent overall response due to different reactions to the text and class-focused questions. A minority of five students had dominantly negative responses about the quizzes.

The Application of Feedback Data

Innovation and Risk