Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2007

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology

First Advisor

Susan M. Powers

Second Advisor

David Hofmeister

Third Advisor

David P. Beach

Abstract

Learning objects have very quickly become a widely accepted mode ur instructional technology. particularly in on-line and co111pu1cr-hasL'd k·mning environments; and Ihey are also gaining m:ceptance in hybrid and traditional classroom enviro11111ents as well. But do they really work? That is. do they impn)\'c learning outcomes? While there is a substantial body or literature rnnccrninμ learn int! oh,iL'L'ls. Il1L' literature is sparse in regard to the question or efficacy. This research investigated the effectiveness or learning objects hy cornparinμ learning owcomes (perl'ormam:c on a problem-solving task) using a learning object, wilh outcomes achieved via a traditional textbook-based delivery or instruction. Participants were undergraduate college students al a trncli1io1rnl public !'our-year coed institution. a private four-year women's college, a private !'om-year engineering institution, and a public two-year community college. The participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental (learning object) group or a control (textbook) group. [n order 10 make both learning experiences as equivalent us possible, tis well tis convenient for the participants. Blackboardn1 was used to deliver the content (how to calculate a Joan payment using Microsol'l E.xceP~1) and the assessment on line. Each' participant was given an instruction sheet which included a unique usericl and password to their respective Blackboard site. Upon ;_1ccessing the site. the participant received a brier welcome followed by the lesson.

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