Impact of Learning Strategies and Motivation on Performance:A Study in Web-Based Instruction

1. Impact of Learning Strategies and Motivation on Performance:A Study in Web-Based Instruction Siva R.Sankaran Tung Bui

2. Outline • Instruction • Research in Distance Education • Hypotheses • Method • Results • Additional Analysis • Implications • conclusion

3. Instruction • This study is to investigate how learning strategies and motivation influence performance in web and lecture settings. • Learning strategies: • Deep • Surface • undirected

4. Research in Distance Education • The major issues of distance education are : • Effectiveness • Student background • Learning style • Motivation • Course design • Instruction role • Cost-benefits

5. Research in Distance Education-Effectiveness • Kuramoto(1984) evaluated face to face, teleconferencing, and correspondence study were equally effective. • Souder(1993) concluded that distance learner performed better than their classroom counterparts. • Poter(1997) contends that distance education is at least as effective as that of traditional lectures.

6. Research in Distance Education-Learning strategy • Refer to the activities by which learning is achieved. • Two types of learning strategies(Hoekscma,1995) • Deep-understand the meaning of a task. • Surface-memorize the facts and have reproducing orientation. • In practice, using the surface strategy have been found to be successful. • The undirected learning was a negative predictor of academic success.

7. Research in Distance Education-Motivation • To be a successful learner, Schuemer points out that the student must have a high degree of motivation • Students who choose distance education need a high level of motivation. • The types of motivation: • Intrinsic motivation • Extrinsic motivation

8. Hypotheses • H1 • Students using deep learning strategy will perform better than using the surface strategy in web and lecture settings. • H2 • Students using surface strategy will perform better than using undirected learning strategy in web and lecture settings. • H3 • There is be no difference in performance among students who use the same learning strategy whether they are in web or lecture group.

9. Hypotheses(cont.) • H4 • The higher the motivation, the better the performance in both web and lecture settings. • H5 • There will be no difference in performance among students who have similar motivational levels whether they are in the web or the lecture group.

10. Method • Subjects • the students enrolled in a 4-week undergraduate business computer courses. • Pre-test • To measure their baseline knowledge of course content • Learning strategy survey • Motivation survey • Performance suvey

11. Learning strategy survey • Contained 14 items to determine whether the students employed deep, surface and undirected method. • LSS(learning strategies score) • <2.3-undirected strategy • 2.3-3.7-surface • 3.7<-deep

12. Motivation survey • Contained 14 items to determine the orientation of motivation • MS(Motivation Score) • <2.3-low motivation • 2.3-3.7-moderate motivation • 3.7<-high motivation

13. Results • 116 students in this sample, 46 chose to take the web course , 70 chose the lecture course • H1:influence of the deep and surface learning on performance • Web • Deep-45.5 • Surface-46.1 • Lecture • Deep-46.1 • Surface-44.6 • Both difference were not significant • Maybe • deep learning is not often satisfied with university exams. • Surface strategy is more effective in the course

14. Results(conts.) • H2:influence of surface and undirected learning strategy on performance • Web • Surface-46.1 • Undirected-29.6 • Lecture • Surface-44.6 • Undirected-34.5 • Both difference were significant • Undirected strategy affected performance negatively

15. Results(conts.) • H3:influence of similar learning strategies in web and lecture • Deep-no difference significant • Surface -no difference significant • Undirected -no difference significant • The explanation could be that the web with no direct verbal interaction

16. Results(conts.) • H4:influence of motivation on performance • High motivation-better in both web and lecture course • Low motivation -no difference significant • Students undergo many sacrifices to get an education and motivation is a driving factor that influences their performance

17. Results(conts.) • H5:influence of similar motivation levels in web and lecture • Each group did not differ significant in their scores between the lecture and web format

18. Additional Analysis • The high correlation between MS and LSS corroborates that those who have high motivation tend to use deep learning strategy. • Hispanics had the highest score on MS and LSS • Whites had lower MS and LSS but had the highest on test score • The causative factor: Whites had started off the course with the advantage

19. Implications • Web course is well suited for students who use deep or surface strategy. • Students with similar learning strategy and motivation performed equally well irrespective of web or lecture format. • Students who are motivated the most also gained the most incremental learning.

20. Conclusion • This study identified learning strategy and motivation as two variables and explained their impact on learning performance. • It is important for educators to match technology with the background and needs of the learners if education is to be effective.