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Session 1647

Using Web Based Training to Improve Classroom Performance Christine L. Corum, Shravia D. Jackson Purdue University / IBM Corporation

I. Introduction

Web-based training has quickly increased in use as a training medium. Schools, government organizations, and private businesses have recently begun to utilize this powerful teaching aid for their own training purposes. With the increased use of web-based training, one is led to ask two important questions. “If web-based training is becoming so prevalent, what will happen to traditional classroom based instruction?” and “Is there any significant difference in the performance of students who receive web based training and those who receive traditional classroom instruction?” The latter question was the focus of this study. This study assessed the performance of students who received web-based training in a mechanical engineering technology course, versus students in the same course who did not receive the web-based training. The title of the course studied was MET 142, Manufacturing Processes 1. This course was designed to introduce students to manufacturing processes such as casting, forming and welding. A hands-on approach was used to introduce these concepts. Since not all students enrolled were Mechanical Engineering Technology majors, their diverse backgrounds had to be taken into account.

II. Literature review

Web-based instruction has been defined as: “…a hypermedia based instruction program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful environment where learning is fostered and supported.”1

The most important aspect of web-based instruction, also called web-based training is that information is disseminated through the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW). Web based training is actually a specialized form of online education which is defined as, “… any form of learning/teaching that takes place over a computer network”. This type of activity can take place on any type of network, from an intranet to the World Wide Web.2

According to educator Andy Carvin, “traditional teaching fails because students have no use or interest in much of the material as it is presented”.3 This statement leads to several questions. What type of educational materials should be placed on the web? What is the most effective method of presentation of that material? How can an instructor assess whether or not actual learning has taken place? Teaching should, after all, be student centered.

The advantage of using the web as a teaching tool is that information can be presented in a clear and concise manner to many people of various backgrounds and abilities. Since differences in learning style do exist, the web is ideal as a teaching instrument because it can allow for the insertion of video, animation and other types of training media. It can also allow students to

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Jackson, S. D., & Corum, C. L. (2000, June), Using Web Based Training To Improve Classroom Performance Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8823