A Comparison of Web-Based and Traditional Instruction for Teaching Turfgrass Identification1

Web-based instruction is growing at a rapid rate, but the ability to effectively teach lab skills in a web-based format may be a barrier to the development of distance education courses in turfgrass management. We conducted a study to compare the effectiveness of web-based versus traditional instruc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNACTA journal Vol. 56; no. 1; p. 17
Main Authors Peterson, Kenton W, Keeley, Steven J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Twin Falls North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture 01.03.2012
Subjects
Agricultural education
CAI
Computer assisted instruction
Educational Environment
Higher education
Horticulture
Teaching methods
Teaching Skills
Turfgrasses
Undergraduate Students
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Summary:Web-based instruction is growing at a rapid rate, but the ability to effectively teach lab skills in a web-based format may be a barrier to the development of distance education courses in turfgrass management. We conducted a study to compare the effectiveness of web-based versus traditional instruction for teaching turfgrass identification (ID). An introductory horticultural science class with four lab sections and a total enrollment of 88 students was the study setting. Quiz scores showed no difference in ability to identify live specimens of six turfgrass species between students receiving web-based versus traditional instruction. However, students receiving traditional instruction performed better on knowledge-based questions, in which they were asked to name which species corresponded to a written set of ID characteristics. Results suggested that web-based students' performance on knowledge-based questions may be improved by finding ways to increase their interaction with the content. Student performance on live-specimen ID or knowledge-based questions was not correlated with time spent studying, or students' perceived importance of turfgrass identification, but it was correlated with confidence level. Our results show that web-based formats can be as effective as traditional methods in teaching students to ID live turfgrass samples. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0149-4910