1

Rupi Banga
72017106
April 6h, 2014
ETEC 500- 65C

Assignment #3: Research Proposal

A Comparative Study of Student Achievement in an Online and Traditional Classroom
Course.

Introduction
In my 3 years of teaching experience, I have had the opportunity to teach a
diverse group of students. Teachers have an increasing number of students with diverse
learning needs in their classrooms and are expected to be familiar and up to date with the
best techniques teach every student so they can be successful. Since becoming a teacher,
Ive had a keen interest in using various forms of technology in order to help students
achieve success in the course whether they are designated with learning disabilities or
not. In recent times, with the expanding technology use in the classroom and the
integration of 21st century learning skills, teachers should be able to see the advantage of
offering instruction online. In high schools today, students refer to themselves at digital
natives and insist that technology be available to them as much as possible. With my own
students feeling this way, it compels me to consider whether there may be a correlation
between online courses and achievement. With school districts offering courses online,
more and more students are enrolling into distance education courses and when asked,
students merely state that online courses are easier to get better grades. However, with its
intense growing popularity amongst students, educators as well as parents are forced to
examine if online classes provide the same effectiveness and success that one would
assume to find in a traditional classroom. Wang (2007) states that online courses increase
the interaction of student-to-instructor, student-to-student, student-to-material, and
student-to-expert/practitioner; however, one must consider whether it is a disadvantage to
the students, especially those with diverse learning needs who desperately need to have a
traditional classroom setting with face to face interaction with the instructor.

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In my experience of teaching senior students in English 12, I find that students
become almost fixated on finding ways to maintain a high grade point average to obtain
admission in universities and they constantly ask me if they should repeat the course
online to see if they can get a better grade on the Provincial Exam. For these students,
online courses do not mean that they do not have to wake up early, get ready and attend
school; the main driving force in students registering for online courses is the notion that
it is easier than regular school. When I discuss this popular opinion of students with
my colleagues, the same discussion arises time and time again. How can an online course
be easier, if it follows the same curriculum? The book lists are the same; the units are the
same, then what exactly is being depicted as easier?
Statement of Purpose and Related Questions
The purpose of this study is to compare the achievement between online courses
and traditional classroom courses of high school students who are enrolled in provincially
examinable courses. The results of the study may provide some insight as to why one
method may result in higher student achievement and if teachers do need to change their
techniques of instruction to suit the diverse needs of students to allow for higher
achievement in any form of learning. For the purpose of this study, student assessment
will be based on three main exams and the study will also aim to examine how many
students decide to take an online course after failing to achieve desired results on the
government exam.
Research Questions
1. Is there a considerable difference in the success rates of students taking online
classes versus those taking traditional classroom courses?

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2. Is there difference in the method of instruction on part of the teacher that
allows for success in one method of learning as opposed to the other?
Literature Review
In their research, Wilson and Allen (2011) use a comparative-casual research
method to determine the difference in success rates of online classes versus face-to-face
classes at one University, HBCU. They investigate the characteristics of successful online
learners opposed to online learners who fail or withdraw from courses. The study
observed over 100 students in four different courses, two online and two traditional. The
sample consisted of 101 undergraduate students who enrolled in Management 311 or
Management 420, which were both taught online and face-to-face. A t-test was employed
to compare course delivery methods; analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze
two levels of behaviour (course completers vs. withdrawers) and delivery mode (online
vs. face-to-face). In addition, backward elimination method was used to determine if a
reduced set of variables would indicate statistical significance.
Findings of the research indicated that there were three major differences between
online and face-to-face students. Online students were likely females, older and had
earned more semester credit hours than face-to-face students. The ANOVA results
showed that online students had earned drastically greater college credit hours than faceto-face students. Generally, online students had earned more credit hours than face-toface students and cumulative GPA was the largest predictor of course grades, despite the
method of delivery. Wilson and Allen found two distinct weaknesses of the study. Firstly,
it was only conducted at one at one university, which limits representing a more diverse
group of students; second, the study used a sample of convenience that only consisted of

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two sections and two courses (online and face-to-face and MGMT 311 AND MGMT
420).
Similar to Wilson and Allen, Dell et al., (2010) conducted a study to analyze
student achievement for two sections of a graduate course in human development and
learning, and three sections of educational psychology taught online and face-to-face.
The instructor of two different classes compared the quality of work submitted by
students of online and face-to-face formats. The assignments asked students to apply their
knowledge of theories and of educational psychology to analyze short stories, review
journal articles and describe observations of the learning process; furthermore, students
were required to answer an essay question on self-efficacy for the final examination.
Two independent raters reviewed assignments from all the course sections. The
raters were provided copies of the requirements, scoring rubrics, and all of the work
submitted by the students. In addition, the raters were not informed if an assignment was
from an online or face-to-face section. A Chi-Square for Independent Measures was
employed to determine if there was a relationship between the two variables (online or
face-to-face) and the quality of student work.
Results of the study indicated that there was not a significant difference between
the assignments submitted by students from the online courses and the face-to-face
courses; moreover, that the methods of instruction deemed more crucial than the platform
of delivery. Dell et al., conclude that online instructors need to focus on distributing high
quality methods of instruction and that interaction amongst students and instructors is
crucial in both face-to-face and online formats. They also conclude that instructors who
were effective were the ones that provided more guidance, structure and focus in

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discussions.
In contrast to Dell et al., in their study, Summer et al., (2005) not only examine
that differences of an online course versus a face-to-face one but also examine student
satisfaction with the course. The research was centered on to questions. Firstly, were
there any differences in statistics knowledge measured by scores on the exam and
secondly, were there any differences in the feelings and attitudes of the students as
calculated by the course evaluations? Students scores on three class exams and a final
exam measured statistics knowledge cumulatively. T-tests, one-way ANOVA and chisquared analysis were used to determine if any differences existed between student
knowledge of statistics and student satisfaction.
Results of the study indicated that online students were generally less satisfied
with the course than students in the traditional classroom even though both classes had
the same instructor with 20 years of experience. Students expressed their dissatisfaction
in the following areas: instructors explanations, instructors enthusiasm, instructors
openness and concern towards students, instructors interest in student learning, class
discussion, quality of questions/problem, and evaluation and grading. Summer et al.,
were able to calculate the major differences by controlling irrelevant variables; however,
they felt that it was integral to use the information to improve courses in ways that can be
more satisfying for students. For future research, Summer et al., suggest a constructivist
pedagogical structure since many of the significant difference in the course satisfaction
was embedded in pedagogical issues.
Similar to Summer et al., McGinley et al., (2012) investigate student satisfaction
in an online course versus a face-to-face course. They believe that satisfaction within the

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educational process must be compared to the effectiveness of the pedagogy. This study
looked at three main questions; first, did students find differences in course design;
second, did students feel that course-work addressed higher level thinking skills and
third, were there noticeable differences in student achievement? To measure the
differences in course design, 13 quantitative questions were evaluated and each question
was rated on a scale of 1-4. To assess if there were differences between online and faceto-face formats, sample t-tests were used on all 13 questions related to course design. To
evaluate if there was a major difference in student achievement, final grades of students
were compared.
Results indicated that there was no major difference in student achievement for
online and face-to-face learners. Traditional course students reported that they felt that
they had the necessary tools to be successful in the course and online students reported
using more high level thinking skills to achieve success. The weakness in the study
however, lies in the fact that there was limited information about learning characteristics,
especially for online learners and this could be especially important in determining
technology proficiency and issues relation to the course design.
Thirunarayanan and Perez-Prado (2001) used a qualitative research method to
compare achievement between students in an online course and a traditional classroom
course on teaching English to speakers of other languages. Course content, assignments
and exams were consistent between both courses and only differed in the delivery
method. Participants included 31 students in the face-to-face course and 29 in the online
course. A t-test was employed to determine the levels of student performance as well as
improvements in course content. Results indicated that there were no significant

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differences in student achievement between online and traditional courses. Furthermore,
results indicated that students taking the online course scored lower on the pre-test than
students taking the traditional course. Results also indicate that there was slight
improvement on the post-test by online students.
Thirunarayanan and Perez-Prado (2001) acknowledge that this study is limited
since it only compares results between two classes for only one semester. A longer study
would be more effective in reaching a deeper understanding of the differences in
achievement.
In contrast to the previous studies mentioned, Liu and Graf (2009) take a different
approach while studying student involvement in online and face-to-face instruction. Liu
and Grafs study investigates how students manage courses that are incompatible with
their learning styles. Student learning styles, behaviour and performance in the course
were analyzed; furthermore, they investigate which students need more help in the
incompatible courses and which strategies aided students with particular learning styles
prove successful. The courses required students to submit five assignments, which had to
be completed in groups of two. After submission, each student was required to present
their assignment individually and answer questions related to it. At the end of the course,
students were required to complete a written final exam.
Liu and Graf (2009) used a t-test to identify whether the learners had significant
differences in their achievement in the course. Rank correlation analysis was used to
calculated correlations between learning styles and performance in mismatched courses.
Results indicate that learners with a strong preference of specific learning styles had more
difficulties in learning (achieving lower scores) than students with lesser preferences of

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learning styles, no matter if the course is online or taught face-to-face. Further results
indicate that students with different learning styles behave differently in the course,
which assist in allowing for a better understanding about the relationship between
students learning styles, performance and behaviour in the mismatched courses.
Liu and Graf (2009) conclude that future work is highly required to further
investigate the results of this study, more detailed variables about students beahviour in
the course are required as well as more evidence of interaction between the different
learning styles preferences and in more technology enhanced learning.
Synthesis of Literature
The research discussed in this literature review show varied results. Each of the
studies reviewed, used quantitative research methodologies. In comparing student
achievement between online and face-to-face courses, Wilson and Allen (2011) and
Thirunarayanan & Perez- Prado (2001) showed higher achievement, where as Dell et al.,
Liu and Graf (2009) show no major differences in achievement. The only studies that aim
to assess students preference and perceptions of each form of learning are that of
Summer et al., (2005) and McGinley et al., (2012). Their studies provide a link between
achievements, while attempting to gain a better understanding of the students opinion
about online and traditional courses. In terms of methodology, the studies reviewed seem
to be incoherent due to small sample sizes and lack of dependant variables. All studies
acknowledge that further research will result in a deeper understanding of the differences
in achievement in online and face-to-face courses; moreover, that larger samples and
qualitative methods (interviews) would result in comprehending differences in pre and
post-tests.

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Conclusion
Although the results of the studies were diverse, the studies offer useful information
about the varied forms of success in online and face-to-face courses. The complied
studies also suggest further research to gain a better understanding of achievement in
online and face-to-face courses. While Dell et al., (2010) addressed methods of delivery
and instruction, none of the studies really attempted to consider teacher preferences of
instruction delivery formats or thoughts on post-test results. Further research should
consider not only student learning needs but also ways to improve instruction delivery
methods. In addition, more research of student achievement at the secondary school level
would provide a solid foundation of understanding of the differences in achievement of
students before reaching higher levels of education. Furthermore, larger sample sizes and
dependant variables would add to the validity of the results.

Methodology

Description of the Research Method

This study of comparison will use quantitative and qualitative research methods.
The quantitative data collected from the online course will be employed to compare
student achievement and qualitative data collected in forms of interviews of students and
teachers and will provide some insight as to why online courses are depicted as easier
than traditional classroom courses and what teachers may need to do further prepare
students for success.
Participants

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Participants of this study will be Grade 10 and 12 students. The participants must
be enrolled in English 10, English 12 and Communications 12 courses, which are all
provincially examinable courses. In each course, two online courses at Surrey Connect
will be compared to two traditional classroom courses taken place at a high school in
Surrey. Each course will have 30 students enrolled, making the model size for each of the
3 courses to be 90 online students and 90 traditional classroom students. Because of the
popularity of online courses, registration should not be a problem and recruitment of the
traditional classroom will be based on how the school counselors choose to place students
in the course. I am also certain that enrollment numbers will be high because most
students prefer to take most of their academic courses in first semester in case they want
to repeat the course. If there happens to be less than 30 students enrolled in each of the
online courses, consent forms from parents or guardians will have to be signed to allow
students to switch from a traditional classroom to an online one for the sake of the study.
Instruments or Materials
The Nelson-Deny Vocabulary & Comprehension test will be administered to the
students enrolled in both online and traditional classroom courses as an indication of the
students level of reading and comprehension. Their writing level will be measured by a
short response of an informational text taken from the 2012 provincial exam. Students
will be required to write a short story, poetry and novel study unit test mid way through
the term as well as the final provincial exam that will be conducted in the school
gymnasium with invigilators that online students are required to attend. A
survey/questionnaire will also be conducted to all the students asking questions about
which units they are looking forward to studying the most, any concerns about the

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provincial exam, how confident they are using technology, a description of their ICT
skills and if they have had any past experiences with taking courses online. A
questionnaire will also be given to teachers once the provincial exams scores are in,
asking them to notice the differences in achievement between online and traditional
classroom courses.
Procedure
Online and traditional classroom courses will begin at the regular start of the school
year in September and end on January 30th. In the first week of classes, all students
registered in the online and traditional classroom courses will take the pre-tests
(administered by teachers) to determine their reading, writing and comprehension levels.
At the mid-way mark of the course (week 11), students will write a midterm exam based
on the units study thus far, again administered by the teacher. Final exams will take place
during week 22 administered by the school administration and teachers as invigilators.
The Ministry of Education will determine the specific dates of the provincial exam.
Followed by the provincial exam, students will fill out the survey and participate in a
questionnaire/interview. The teachers will also participate in a questionnaire about their
teaching in the two courses as well as provide anecdotal feedback to the students that will
be based on observations of activities of the online and traditional classroom courses. The
feedback will also be attached with report card comments for parents and guardians to
review.
Design
This research aims to compare student achievement between online courses and
traditional classroom courses. Scores on pre-tests, midterm exams and provincial exams

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will be calculated and the mean of these tests will aid in the determining why one form of
learning results in higher achievement than the other. Lesson plans and related notes from
lectures will be provided to online classes using digital formatting, while students in the
traditional classroom course will be given photocopied handouts. For extra assistance in
the course, students in the traditional classroom can visit the teacher before school starts,
at lunch or after school. Online classes can keep in touch with their teacher via email or
set up an appointment to meet them during office hour. Oral assignments for online
classes will be recorded using Edmodo.com and sent to the instructor, while the
traditional classroom course will expect students to make face-to-face presentations.
Based on the concept of casual-comparative research methods, descriptive statistics such
as means, standard deviations and percentages will be used to analyze student
achievement in online and traditional courses. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) will
be used to test to test for major differences amongst the scores of each groups
achievement in the pre-test, midterm and provincial exam. (Gay, Mills & Airasian, 2011,
p. 234) To maintain accuracy, data will be analyzed in categories of grade level, subject
and number of assignments.
Table 1. Quantitative Data Collection Sample
Course
Averages

Groups
(No
treatment
)
Pre-test
Student
(Nelson/Deny
Class 1
Reading &
Student
Comprehension Class 2
, Writing
Sample)
Student
preference

English 10
Onlin Trad
e

Engilsh 12
Online
Trad

Communications 12
Online Trad

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questionnaire
Midterm
Exam
Short Story,
Poetry & Novel
Study units.
Final Exam
Provincial
Exam

Student
Class 1
Student
Class 2

Final Grade

Student
Class 1
Student
Class 2

Student
Class 1
Student
Class 2

Table 2. Qualitative Data Collection Sample

Type
Of Collection

Interviews/
Surveys/
Questionnaires

Data Collected

Students opinions on why they feel online courses are

easer.
Students opinions why they chose to register in a
traditional classroom course as oppose to an online class.
What motivates students to achieve success in each form of
learning?
What was the major difference while taking exams?
What were students overall feelings after taking online and
traditional classroom courses?

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Teachers
Reflection
Notes/Journal

Student observations and reflections based on:

Participation in an online class.

Participation in a traditional class.
Engagement during the learning process.
Understanding of concepts, terms, vocabulary, literary
devices.
Group collaboration in both settings.

Timeline
September 2014
Week 1

Pre-test Nelson Deny Vocabulary & Comprehension Test,

Writing Sample.

November 2014
Week 11

Midterm Exam- Short Story, Poetry and Novel Study Units

January 2015
Week 22

Provincial Exam
Student Survey/Questionnaire/Interview
Teacher Reflection Journal/Interview

February-March
2015

Data Collection and Analysis

Semester 1 Report Card Distribution

April-June 2015

Analysis Completion
Research Report Completion.

Discussion
This comparative research study provides a platform for researchers to further
investigate the differences in success rates of students in an online and traditional
classroom course and establishes a foundation for research in higher education settings.
By focusing on provincial examinable courses, instructors and administrators can gain
insight on the best forms of content delivery in order to better prepare students to write

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these exams and set them up for success. This longitudinal study allows for an in-depth
analysis of factors that contribute to achievement as well as allow educators to take part
in surveys and questionnaires, so input from all aspects of study can allow for better
design and implementation of courses in any learning format. The major implication of
this research may focus on how students may become more engaged in both online and
traditional classroom formats of learning if they take a more active role in their learning
to achieve success and move on to higher education.
The literature employed in this research focuses on achievement, perception, and
needs of students as well as methods of delivery. The literature directly relates to the idea
that student engagement in content and their technological comfort in an online setting is
partially to responsibly for success in that particular setting. The literature further
emphasizes how students rating post course can provide meaningful information about
why there is perception that online courses allow for higher achievement. While teacher
perception of preferable modes of instruction is not taken into consideration, student
preference of learning styles can aid teachers in making more informed decisions when it
comes to designing a course to meet the diverse needs of students.

References

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Dell, C.A., Low, C., & Wilker J.F. (2010) Comparing Student
Achievement in Online and
Face-to-Face Class Formats. Merlot Journal of Online Learning
and Teaching, 6(1), 1-19.
Gay, L.R., Mills, G.E., & Airasian, P.W. (2011). Educational research:
Competencies for
analysis and application (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill
Prentice Hall.
Liu, T.C., Graf, S. (2009) Coping with mismatched courses: students behaviour and
performance in courses mismatched to their learning styles. Educational
Technology Research & Development, 57(6), 739-752.
McGinley, V., Osgood, J., Kenney, J. (2012). Exploring Graduate Students Perceptual
Differences of Face-to-Face and Online Learning. Quarterly Review of Distance
Education, 13(3), 177-182.
Summers, J., Waigandt, A., & Whittaker, T. (2005) Comparison of Student Achievement
and Satisfaction in an Online Versus a Traditional Face-to-Face Statistics Class.
Innovative Higher Education, 29(3), 233-250.
Thirunarayanan, M., & Perez-Prado, A. (2001). Comparing Web-Based
and ClassroomBased Learning: A Quantitative Study. Journal of Research on
Technology in Education, 34(2), 131-137.
Wang, A. Y., & Newlin, M. H. (2000). Characteristics of Students Who
Enroll and Succeed

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Psychology

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Educational

Psychology, 92, 137143.

Wilson, D., & Allen, D. (2011) Success rates of online versus traditional college students.
Research in Higher Education Journal, 14(1), 3-11.