Glori Hinck, RD, MS, DCAssistant Professor, Methods DepartmentNorthwestern Health Sciences University

Bloomington, MN USA

Convenience

Material readily available

Active learning

Decrease class room “seat” time

HybridAsynchronous

Large classes (60 to 130) Solution:

Automatically graded assessments Utilize TA’s and co-instructors for

grading Limit use of discussion forums Use group mode when feasible

Can online course delivery be as effective a method of teaching in the chiropractic setting as a course based on a traditional, lecture-format delivery?

“No Significant Difference Phenomenon”

Studies comparing results of various teaching methods have found “no significant difference” in student outcomes when using various types of technology and education delivery systems

Controversy exists

Bassano (2005) No significant difference in learning

occurred between students with access to an online self-guided radiology tutorial and those without this access

Goubran and Vijamury (2007) The use of an online interactive atlas of

histology led to significantly higher average laboratory examination scores

Journal of Chiropractic Education

Mean final exam scores for students taking the online course are statistically equivalent to, or greater than, the mean final exam scores of students taking the traditional course in the previous six trimesters.

“Same” basic core content

“Same” examination

Compared mean exam scores

What was “wrong” with this study design?

New instructorNew delivery method

Instructor, Students, CampusTechnology issuesExam does not reflect variations in

contentExam score weighting

33% vs. 50%

Physical Diagnosis course moved from Term 3 to Term 4 during the Fall ‘07 term

Instructors noticed impact on clinical reasoning in Methods 3 (Term 3)

Hypothesized indirect effect on exam scores

Traditional (Six trimesters) Mean Final Exam

Score:73.4%

Online (One trimester) Mean Final Exam

Score:72.5%

Analysis indicates statistical equivalence between groups:

mean final exam scores(t= 1.09 p=0.89)

Online (One trimester) Mean Midterm

Exam Score:

75.1%

Analysis indicates traditional midterm score statistically greater

than online midterm score

Traditional (Six trimesters) Mean Midterm

Exam Score: 79.2%

(t= 4.69 p=0.00)

F’07: Last traditional Midterm: 76.1% Final: 71.5%

S’08: First online Midterm: 75.1% Final: 72.5%

Analysis indicates statistical equivalence between groups:

Midterm: (t= 0.77 p=0.44)Final: (t= -0.77 p=0.44)

Neither group had PDX concurrently

Traditional (PDX)(5 trimesters) Midterm 79.7% Final:

73.7%

Traditional (No PDX)(2 trimesters) Midterm 76.1% Final: 71.5%

Analysis indicates concurrent PDX is associated with statistically greater

midterm and final exam scores than no-PDX

Midterm: (t=3.51 p=0.00)Final: (t=2.33 p=0.02)

No significant difference: All Traditional vs. Online final exam F’07 Traditional vs. Summer ‘08 Online

midterm and final

Traditional significantly better: All Traditional vs. Summer ‘08 Online

midterm

Concurrent PDX scores significantly greater

The evidence supports our alternative hypothesis that online course delivery can be an effective method of

teaching in the chiropractic setting

What aspects of online delivery are most successful?

Item analysis Any changes needed in specific

areas?

Student satisfaction surveys and focus groups

Mean midterm exam scores for students taking the online course are statistically equivalent to, or greater than, the mean midterm exam scores of the students taking the traditional course in the previous six trimesters.

Mean midterm and final exam scores for students taking the online course are statistically equivalent to, or greater than, the mean midterm and final exam scores of the students taking the traditional course in the immediately-previous trimester

Mean midterm and final scores for students taking the traditional course with a concurrent physical diagnosis course are statistically equivalent to, or greater than, the mean midterm and final exam scores of students who took the traditional course with no concurrent physical diagnosis course.

(Assessment of confounding factor in traditional-online comparisons)