A Comparison of Student Satisfaction and Student Outcomes using a Team-based Approach versus a Traditional Approach in Two Sections of an Online Course

Background:

In a collaborative learning environment, knowledge is shared or transmitted among learners as they work towards common learning goals, for example, a shared understanding of the subject at hand or a solution to a problem. Learners are not passive receptacles but are active in their process of knowledge acquisition as they participate in discussions, search for information, and exchange opinions with their peers. Knowledge is co-created and shared among peers, not owned by one particular learner after obtaining it from the course materials or instructor. The learning process creates a bond between and among learners as their knowledge construction depends on each other’s contribution to the discussion. Hence, collaborative learning processes assist students to develop higher order thinking skills and to achieve richer knowledge generation through shared goals, shared exploration, and a shared process of meaning making (Brookfield, 1995; Christiensen & Dirkinick-Holmfeld, 1996; Jonassen, Davidson, Collins, Campbell, & Haag, 1995; Palloff & Pratt, 2005).

 

Collaborative learning is not a new teaching strategy and research on collaborative learning in the classroom can be dated back to the early 1970s (Dillenbourg, Baker, Blaye, & O’Malley, 1996). One important aspect of Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory is the “Zone of Proximal Development” which argues that a learner cannot achieve an understanding of a new idea or concept unless he/she acquires help or feedback from a teacher or a peer (Vygotsky, 1978). In Vygotsky’s view, peer interaction is an important way to facilitate individual cognitive growth and knowledge acquisition, and the peer collaboration can help learners in problem solving.

 

Collaborative learning strategies increase the probability of students' understanding of course material and engagement. Students working in collaborative groups exhibit higher cognitive processing, increased problem-solving, and improved creativity. These skill sets are particularly important as student's progress through school and transition to the workforce. Life outside the academic enterprise is heavily group-centered; consequently, an education that does not prepare students to work successfully in groups is flawed.

 

The benefits of collaborative learning are believed to remain valid in online collaborative learning environments, just as they do in traditional collaborative settings (Chou & Chen, 2008; Graham & Misanchuk, 2004). However, designing effective online learning environments that encourage collaboration and community among learners can be difficult to achieve. Learners who choose online study most often do so because of the flexibility and convenience of choosing their own study hours, usually because they have very busy lives. Particularly in the case of adult learners, other roles may be primary to that of student. Academic work is important but must fit around demands of career, home, and community. Group projects require that learners be present on a particular schedule, reducing the flexibility and convenience factor in online study and possibly causing anxiety and/or resentment, particularly if the purpose of the group work is not clear and the group experience is not positive.  Online learners may also have reservations about their ability to work as part of a group (Smith et al., 2011). Online students may have become reluctant to participate based on negative past experiences of working with an unproductive or very difficult peer, having had to carry more than their fair share of the workload, or having received a grade that they felt did not reflect their level of contribution to a group project.

 

Objectives

This project examined whether the use of team-based learning in an online learning environment impact student learning outcomes. In addition, students’ attitudes toward online collaborative learning experiences were also investigated. The following research questions were addressed:

1. What differences exist in the learning outcomes (i.e., quality of course projects, and final course grades) of students enrolled in an online team based environment compared to the traditional online course?
2. What differences exist in satisfaction with the learning experience of students enrolled in an online team based environment compared to the traditional online course?
3. What are student attitudes toward working collaboratively in an online setting?

 

Methods

The current study compared outcome data obtained from students enrolled in one of two versions of online undergraduate level courses in Developmental Psychology. One version of the course was taught through a traditional online format while the other version of the same course was taught online using a team based approach. Both versions of the same course were delivered by the same instructor, and required the same content.

 

Materials

Student Evaluations

A modification of an established instrument were used to assess student perceptions of course quality and interaction. The university’s course evaluation assessment were used to obtain general student perceptions of the quality of their learning experience. Additional questions were included for students in the modified course to assess student satisfaction on the teamwork learning environment.  Questions included satisfaction with online collaborative learning environment, satisfaction with the teamwork learning process, and satisfaction with the benefits from peer interactions. Additional questions also included three open-ended questions dealing with student perceptions toward working on group projects in an online learning environment and suggestions on the important elements that a successful online collaborative setting should comprise. 

 

Student Attitude Survey

To evaluate participants’ attitudes toward collaboration in general, a student attitude survey was developed based on Waters and Napier (2002) five collaboration factors model. The survey probed participants’ attitudes about doing collaborative work and about their confidence in collaborating with others in problem solving. The survey was administered to students in both sections of the course.

 

Grades

To determine instructional effectiveness course grades from the two sections were compared to determine differences in student performance. Students’ performance on the identical final exam was also evaluated in the two course sections.

 

Procedure

The same content was covered in both sections of the course and the instructional treatment of each topic followed the same organization. One topic or module was introduced and covered each week using recorded audio and video lectures, videos, PowerPoint presentations, and handouts posted on the course web site. The lecture content, PowerPoint presentations, and handouts were identical for both settings of each course.

 

In the traditional online section of the course, the instructor facilitated weekly discussion and students were asked to respond to questions, issues, comments, and concerns that would aid them in better understanding the application of the topic. In the modified section, a team based approach was used instead of weekly discussions. The team based project consisted of team analyses of case studies and videos. The purpose of these activities was to provide students the opportunity to apply the different concepts and theories in simulated settings. Through the group work, students were able to collaborate, problem solve, and receive input from their peers.

 

Participants

A convenience sample of 180 undergraduate students enrolled in an online developmental psychology course at a large public southeastern university were included in the study. The team-based section of the course consisted of 86 students and the control section included 94 students. Careful attention was paid to analysis of group differences to rule out other alternate explanations for the study findings due to the lack of randomization (Polit & Beck, 2014). Official university student records were reviewed to obtain a variety of demographic and academic data for comparison. There were no significant differences between students in the two section of the course based on gender, age, student rank, reason for taking course, college GPA and major.

 

Results

Preliminary results indicated the learning outcomes (i.e. final course grades) were higher among students enrolled in an online team based environment compared to the traditional online course. On the other hand, satisfaction with the learning experience of students enrolled in the online team based environment was lower compared to the traditional online course. The first comparisons made were in student learning outcomes. Students in the team-based learning section of the course scored significantly higher on the course examinations, t =-2.961, df=179, p=0.003 compared to the control group. The mean examination score for the team-based learning group was 3.32 percentage points higher than the mean examination score for the control group. Analysis of the lowest quartile of mean examination scores indicated that fewer of the team-based learning intervention group scored lower than 70%. Seventeen (17.35%) of the control group had a mean examination score of below 70%, as compared to nine (9.56%) of the team-based learning group.

 

The second set of comparisons were made in students’ satisfaction using a team approach versus a traditional approach. The overall student satisfaction score was higher for the students who were in the control group compared to the tam-based section of the course (p= .048). In terms of student perceptions about how much they learned, the difference was very small, 4.5 as compared to 4.4.

 

Conclusion:

It was found that learning outcomes were higher among students enrolled in an online team-based environment compared to the traditional online course. On the other hand, satisfaction with the learning experience of students enrolled in the online team based environment was lower compared to the traditional online course. These results may indicate that students may experience increased learning outcomes using a team-based approach, but given the difficulties in working with teams online, students experience reduced satisfaction with the environment. Additional research should be done to review student experiences with team-based learning over time, perhaps over a longer time period.