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. Learn More
Records: 210
Title:
Effects of Traditional Classroom and Distance Continuing Education: A Theory-Driven Evaluation of a Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Course
Author/s:
K. Umble
R. Cervero
B. Yang
W. Atkinson
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
No significant difference was found between the increases in knowledge and self-efficacy for participants in the classroom and broadcast courses, both immediately following and 3 months after the course. Participants’ immediate postcourse increases in agreement with the polio schedule were significantly greater for the classroom course than for the broadcast course (P=.006). After 3 months, however, there was no significant difference between classroom and broadcast course participants’ agreement with the polio schedule, reflecting a decline in classroom participants’ agreement over time.
Finding:
No Significant Difference
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Title:
Evaluation of a Web-based Introductory Psychology Course: I. Learning and Satisfaction in on-line versus Lecture Courses.
Author/s:
R. Maki
W. Maki
M. Patterson
Whittak
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
Increased content knowledge was greater for students in web sections,as was in-class examinations performance. Use of the WWW and use of computers for academic purposes increased more in the online sections, and on-line students showed a greater decrease in computer anxiety. Students in the on-line sections expressed appreciation for course components and the convenience of the source, but lecture sections received higher ratings on course evaluations than on-line sections. [”We find better performance on examinations in the web-based course, more learning as measured by content questions in a quasi-experimental design, but lower satisfaction. We have now replicated this effect using the same design during a second year. I believe that the better performance is due to our forcing students in the on-line sections to interact with course material and not due to any inherent advantage of the web-based format.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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Title:
Library Skills Instruction: A Comparison of Students in a Web-based Course evrsus a Traditional Instruction Course
Author/s:
L. Alexander
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
… various measures of demographics and satisfaction levels showed interesting significent differences between the traditional and web groups… for the other seven [of 10] background variables, almost all indicated significant differences between the two groups at … The web students were very happy with their choice of course format and indicated comfort and benefit from it and the activities. They were also very comfortable with the technology format and the electronic databases they used. These facts were revealed by t-test comparisons for the course ratings, where significant differences (p<.05 and p<.01) between the two groups did exist on four of the course rating variables. These variables related to benefit of course, comfort level, continuation of the LME 101 requirement, and credit motivating students to learn… With regard to interaction variables, differences of means tests were performed on the eight satisfaction variables after each instructional method was further subdivided according to the three control variables–residence, year of high school graduation, and age. Among non-dorm residents web-based instruction was rated significantly higher on four of the variables. They related to benefit, comfort, course continuatioin, and academic credit… By controlling for year of high school graduation, t-test comparisons for the two groups revealed those who had graduated before 1998 rated the web course significently higher on the same four areas: benefit, comfort, course continuation, and academic credit. For the age variable, older students gave significantly higher ratings for the web course on the same four evaluation items. These parallel findings indicate that older, non-dorm, non-traditional students benefit most from web-based instruction.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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Title:
Library Skills Instruction: A Comparison of Students in a Web-based Course Versus a Traditional Instruction Course
Author/s:
L. Alexander
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
Regarding achievement, t-test calculations revealed that the two groups did not perform differently on the final exam for the course. These findings suggest that there was no loss in quality due to the web format… In this case, quality was not affected by format… These calculations reavealed no differences on three of the background variables–race, urban/rural high school, and parent education…it was shown that both groups [web-based/traditional] performed the same with regard to the achievement variable.
Finding:
No Significant Difference
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Title:
Navigational Tools’ Effect on Learners’ Achievement and Attitude
Author/s:
I. Farrell
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
Results show a significant gain in achievement for high ability level students using the navigational tool search engine. Significant difference in attitude was found for all ability levels using the navigational tool menu.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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Title:
Project CHILD: A Decade of Success for Young Children
Author/s:
S. Butzin
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
CHILD [Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development] students have higher test scores and better discipline than their counterparts in traditional self-contained classrooms… The Project CHILD student had better test scores in reading, language arts, and mathematics than did their counterparts in traditional classrooms… positive effects increased over time… by the third year, effect sizes at the nine sites…showed 15 positive effects and zero negative effects across all subject and grades… The CHILD students had higher grade point averages higher standardized test scores had more enrollments in advanced mathematics classes.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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Title:
Research in Distance Education: A Status Report
Author/s:
F Saba
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
Since the 1950s and expansion of social science research, distance education has been studied in comparison to face-to-face or classroom instruction. Although researchers continue to conduct comparative studies, their usefulness in revealing more information has diminished over the years; invariably, they have returned a finding of ‘no significant difference’ between various forms of instruction.
Finding:
No Significant Difference
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Title:
Student Assessment Comparison of Lecture and Online Construction Equipment and Methods Classes
Author/s:
R. Ryan
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
There are no trends or evidence of different quality perception between the classes based upon answers to the questions contained in the survey. The final grades for online and lecture participants were not significantly different for either course offering.
Finding:
No Significant Difference
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Title:
Technology-Based Math Curriculums
Author/s:
L. Hubbard
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
The Langley evaluations showed that Algebra students who used this approach significantly outperformed similar students in traditional courses, including achievement gains of up to 25% in skill and up to 100% in problem-solving. Over time the research also showed that students using the Cognitive Tutor were twice as likely to complete Geometry and enroll in Algebra II.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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Title:
The Effects of Electronic Classrooms on Learning English Composition
Author/s:
B. Stinson
K. Claus
Year:
2000
Excerpt:
Dropouts were non-existant after the first two class sessions in the electronic rooms. In the traditional classroom setting, dropout rates averaged a little over 10%. With rare exceptions, students in the electronic rooms always handed in papers on time. In the other classrooms, 20% of papers were habitually turned in late… By the end of the semester, as a final grade, students enrolled in the electronic rooms had an average one half grade higher than the students in the traditional settings.
Finding:
Significant Difference – Better Results with Technology
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