No Significant Difference

About the Database

The No Significant Difference database was first established in 2004 as a companion piece to Thomas L. Russell’s book, “The No Significant Difference Phenomenon” (2001, IDECC, fifth edition), a fully indexed, comprehensive research bibliography of 355 research reports, summaries and papers that document no significant differences (NSD) in student outcomes between alternate modes of education delivery.  Redesigned in 2010 and provided as a service of WCET, (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies), a division of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, the database was designed to expand the offerings from the book by providing access to appropriate studies published or discovered after its publication.

This site is intended to function as an ever-growing repository of comparative media studies in education research. Both no significant differences (NSD) and significant differences (SD) studies are constantly being solicited for inclusion in the website. In addition to studies that document no significant difference (NSD), the website includes studies which do document significant differences (SD) in student outcomes based on the mode of education delivery.

Contribute to the Collection

In its new home on the DETA Research website, the database is intended to continue to function as an ever-growing repository of comparative media studies in education research. The current collection is in need of both updates to the current records, as well as the addition of current and emerging research.  As such, both NSD and SD studies are constantly being solicited for inclusion in the website.  If you are interested in assisting as a contributor or editor, contact us.

Records: 33

The Power of Cyberlearning: An Empirical Test

1999

Excerpt

The findings appear to provide evidence that cyberlearning can be as effective as traditional classroom learning… Results from t-tests indicated that there were no significant differences on six of the eight academic variables … in terms of student learning, for the most part the two groups achieved at approximately the same level as measured by test scores… The findings of this study appear to provide preliminary evidence that cyberlearning can be as effective as learning in the . . . traditional classroom. In general, there were no significant differences in academic outcomes when Cyberlearners were compared with Traditional Learners… 90% of the Cyberlearners believed they learned as much or more than they would have in a traditional classroom.

Finding

No Significant Difference

A Cost-effective Implementation of Computer-based Training within a Large Government Training Organization

1987

Excerpt

… trainees scored significantly higher if they were using CBI as compared with conventional (previous) training.

Finding

Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology