LUI06159

Web-based learning or face-to-face teaching – preferences of Estonian Students

Piret Luik (University of Tartu)

Abstract
Whereas one of the goals of the ICT development plan in Estonia (Learning Tiger, 2005) is to
provide web-based learning for schools of general education, it is also important to know,
what are the opinions of students. In addition, are the students ready for that kind of learning?
Investigating in which phases of instruction it is preferred to carry out the web-based learning
and in which phase students need direct contact with the teacher, the study was carried out in
Estonia. The data were gathered using the electronic questionnaire in 2005. Participants of
this study were 335 students from the 3rd and 4th school stage (forms 7-12, ages 13-18) in
Estonia.

The data were analysed by using SPSS for Windows. Chi-square test, Wilcoxon Signed
Ranks Test, Friedman test, ANOVA, t-test and Spearman rank correlation. The results of this
study indicated that students prefer more partially web-based courses, where the practicing
and assessing learning is conducted with the help of computer. In the two first phases
(presenting information and guiding the learner) students prefer direct contact with the
teacher. These results could be considered developing the web-based courses for the general
education in Estonia.

Introduction
Educationalists believe that ICT has unprecedented potential to change learning (Reinking,
1997). Bransford et al (1999) claim that new technologies including ICT offer possibilities to
create new learning environment, which is richer than “old” technologies – books,
blackboards, radio and television. However, only ICT do not guarantee more effective
learning. Educators should know which possibilities are effective with which learning
activities, how to use ICT and in which phases of instruction ICT could provide help for
teacher. Internet offers many ways for exploring teaching and learning resources, such as
possibilities for the support of synchronous, asynchronous, autonomous and collaborative
modes of teaching and learning activities (Barker, 1999; Neo, 2003).

Nowadays web-based learning as one form of the ICT applications in education is extensively
used in many universities in Estonia (Laanpere, Ruul & Valk, 2002). In general educational
schools different educational software is used all over the Estonia for several learning
activities – for practicing some skills, for obtaining new information, for repeating or testing
study material, etc (Toots, et al., 2004). The web-based management system VIKO is
developed for the students of general education. Whereas one of the goals of the ICT
development plan in Estonia (Learning Tiger, 2005) is to provide web-based learning for
general educational schools also, it is important to know, what are the opinions of the students
and in which phases of instruction students prefer web-based learning.

Review of Literature
There are many definitions about the learning using Internet. In some articles this kind of
learning is called distance learning, in some articles on-line learning and in some articles e-
learning. In this paper web-based learning and on-line learning are used as synonyms and
web-based learning is defined as learning that is delivered wholly or in part via the Internet or
an Intranet (Trombley & Lee, 2002). Web-based learning is only one form of e-learning and
only one form of distance learning. E-learning covers all learning with electronic technology
and distance learning is all learning when students are not required to be physically present at
a specific location during the term. Alessi and Trollip (2001) distinguish two types of web-
based learning: on-site learning (people learn in classroom using web-recourses) and distance
learning.

The Internet is a powerful communication tool in education (Downing, 2001; Jain & Getis,
2003). On-line learning is considered as an effective method of instruction (Downing &
Chim, 2004). Besides the universities web-based learning is used in primary and secondary
schools, too. After all web-based learning is used often as examples of materials produced by
teachers for specific information gathering exercises or to offer information on primary and
secondary level (Passey, 2000).

Web-based learning could be combined with face-to-face learning. Kerres and De Witt (2003)
define this kind of learning blended learning. They claim that despite that blended learning
arrangements have become quite popular in different contexts models for their didactical
design that are based on theoretical concepts are still missing.

Computer use has historically considered the domain of men (Irwin, 2000; Young, 2000).
Educational software is also mostly designed by men and thereby tends to correspond more
for male learning styles (Joiner, 1998; Passig & Levin, 2000). Several researchers (Hattie,
1990; Durndell et al., 1995; Hale, 2002) have asserted that girls prefer cooperation and
communication oriented tasks in computer-based learning. Web-based learning usually
includes communication. Therefore the question arises: does the gender gap disappear using
web-based learning. Lee and Tsai (2005) investigated students’ preferences in Internet based
learning environment. They have found out in their study that male students tended to prefer
such kind of learning more than female students do. Hoskins and van Hoof (2005) assert
according to their study that men have used the web site for dialogue more than woman but
comparing frequency of using self-assessment (quiz) there were not any significant
differences between men and women.

Alessi and Trollip (2001) claim that model for successful instruction should involve four
activities or phases of instruction: presenting information, guiding the learner, practicing and
assessing learning. Merrill (2001) names four phases of learning also, but these phases differ
from the phases mentioned by the Alessi and Trollip (2001). He suggests that the most
effective learning products or environments involve the student in four distinct phases of
learning: activation of prior experience, demonstration of skills, application of skills and
integration of these skills into real-world activities. Merrill (2001) states that much
instructional practice concentrates primarily on the demonstration phase and ignores the other
phases in this cycle of learning.

Different types of educational software engage learners in the different phases of instruction.
For example computer-based tests are used for assessing learning and drills are used for
practicing (Alessi & Trollip, 2001). Alessi and Trollip (2001) assert that since web-based
learning could combine different types of educational software – tutorials, hypermedia,
simulations, drills, tests etc it can foster any phase of instruction. It is found out that students
prefer different types of educational software. Comparing drills and tutorials Nathan and
Baron (1995) have found out that students prefer more drills, but gender does not influence
preferences. Kerres and De Witt (2003) claimed that learners like blended learning, but which
activities students prefer use web-based learning and in which phase students need direct
contact with the teacher. Therefore the question arises - are the preferences of students about
the different phases of instruction in web-based learning also different.

The aim of this study was to find out which phases of instruction it is preferred to carry out
the web-based learning and in which phases students need direct contact with the teacher.
According to the previous studies the hypotheses of this study were as follows:
 1) Blended courses (web-based combined with face-to-face learning) are more preferred
by the students than wholly web-based courses;
2) Practicing and assessing learning in the web-based learning are more preferred by the
students than the other phases of instruction (presenting information and guiding the
learner);
3) Boys prefer more phases of instruction carried out web-based than girls.

Method
The study was carried out in 2005. The data were gathered by the electronic questionnaire.
The questionnaire consisted of 32 questions – 11 questions about the background and 21
questions about the preferences of web-based learning and learning activities conducting with
the web-based courses or face-to-face learning. All questions about the preferences were on
5-point Likert scale. Four learning activities or phases of instruction were taken according to
Alessi and Trollip (2001). The preferences of the students were measured in this study instead
of the learning outcomes of students because the preferences affect the school satisfactions
and participation in the learning activities (Beyth-Marom, Saporta, & Caspi, 2005). The
experts checked construct validity of the questionnaire and the reliability of the questionnaire
(Cronbach’s alpha) was .77.

There are about 50 schools in Estonia where web-based learning system VIKO (VIKO, 2006)
is used in practice. From these schools 16 schools were selected in the way that both rural and
urban schools, basic (grades 1-9) and secondary schools (grades 1-12) were represented.
Participants of this study were 335 students (208 girls and 127 boys) from 3rd and 4th school
stage (grades 7-12, age 13-18). All the participants had computer experience and all the
participants had experience with the web-based learning.

The data were analysed by the statistical package SPSS 11.5 for Windows. Mann-Whitney U-
test and t-test were used comparing the data of boys and girls. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
and Friedman test were used comparing different variables and Chi-square test was used
comparing percentages. Finding relationships between the variables Spearman Rank
Correlation was used.

Results
Students had to evaluate their computer skills and pleasantness of using computers as the
background questions. Comparing these evaluations there were not statistically significant
differences between the boys’ and girls’ evaluations (accordingly Mann-Whitney U =
12693.00 and 12544.50, both p> .05).

52% of students preferred or preferred very much wholly web-based courses and 64% of
students preferred or preferred very much blended courses. Blended web-based courses were
more preferred than wholly web-based courses (with Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test Z= -7.04,
p< .01). Comparing boys’ and girls’ preferences the same result was found out. Both boys and
girls preferred more blended learning than wholly web-based learning (with Wilcoxon Signed
Ranks Test accordingly Z= -2.69 and Z= -6.59, both p< .01) Boys preferred more wholly
web-based courses than girls did but there was not any significant difference comparing boys’
and girls’ preferences about the blended course (see Table 1).

Table 1. Percentages of boys and girls preferred and preferred very much wholly and blended
web-based courses.
Percentage of boys Percentage of girls p-value
Wholly web-based courses 61% 46% .007
Blended web-based courses 65% 64% .30

Average number of phases preferred or preferred very much in the form of the web-based
learning was 1.76 (SD=1.15). Comparing with Friedman test pleasantness of four learning
activities or phases of instruction in the web-based learning the statistically significant
difference was found (Chi-Square=137.63, p< .01). ‘Practicing’ and ‘assessing learning’ in
web-based learning were more preferred by the students than ‘presenting information’ and
‘guiding the learner’. Percentage of students who marked that ‘practicing’ and ‘assessing
learning’ are preferred or are preferred very much by them in the form of web-based learning
(accordingly 56% and 52%) were statistically higher than the percentage of students who
preferred it or preferred it very much in the form of face-to-face learning (Chi-Squares
accordingly 14.21 and 7.17, both p< .01). On the other hand percentage of students who
marked that ‘presenting information’ and ‘guiding the learner’ are preferred or are preferred
very much by them in the form of web-based learning (accordingly 24% and 26%) were
statistically lower than the percentage of students who preferred it or preferred it very much in
the form of face-to-face learning (Chi-Squares accordingly 77.38 and 40.86, both p< .01).

There was not statistically significant difference comparing the average number of phases
preferred or preferred very much in the form of web-based learning in the case of boys and
girls (with t-test t= -1.70, p> .05). There were not statistically significant differences
comparing boys’ and girls’ preferences about the phases of instruction, also (see Table 2).

Table 2. Percentages of boys and girls preferred and preferred very much different phases of
instruction in the form of web-based learning.
Percentage of boys Percentage of girls p-value
Presenting of information 29% 24% .30
Guiding the learner 36% 30% .26
Practicing 65% 58% .21
Assessing learning 60% 56% .47

None of the preferences and the number of phases of instruction students liked to pass using
web-based learning were related to the age of students (all p> .05). Comparing preferences of
students from urban and rural schools significant differences were not found, also (with
Mann-Whitney U-test all p> .05).

Discussion
It was found out that students of general education preferred more blended than wholly web-
based learning. This result was found in the case of boys and girls, in the case of rural and
urban students and this preference was not influenced by the age of students. Kerres and De
Witt (2003) asserted that blended courses are more preferred by the students, also. The reason
might be the circumstance that students do not have skills for independent learning and self-
direction. Passey (2000) studying web-based learning in primary and secondary education
claimed that the major challenge in web-based learning which is faced is how to develop
lifelong learning practices that build on abilities of interdependence as well as on intentions of
independence.

Dividing instruction into four phases (‘presentation of information’, ‘guiding the learner’,
‘practicing’ and ‘assessing learning’) students preferred web-based learning in the last two
phases. First two phases were more preferred by the face-to-face learning. Again this result
was valid in the case of boys and girls, in the case of urban and rural students and was not
influenced by the age of students. Nathan and Baron (1995) have found out that students
preferred more drills than tutorials, also. The reason could be lack of skills of independent
learning and self-direction again. The two last phases of instruction are drills, exercises,
quizzes and/or tests, and this kind of learning is usually implemented independently.
Therefore students are used to do this kind of learning activities without the help of teacher
and there is no difference if they do it using web or paper and pencil. Teacher-centred
learning was used during the Soviet time in Estonia and whereas many teachers have been
educated in that period, then it is still used in our schools even nowadays. Therefore it may be
hard for students to obtain skills of independent learning. It could be the reason that
presentation of information without teacher explanations is not convenient for them.

Only significant difference comparing boys’ and girls’ preferences was found in the
preference of wholly web-based courses. Boys preferred wholly web-based courses more than
girls did. The reason might be the point that girls prefer cooperation and communication
oriented tasks in computer-based learning as it is mentioned by several researchers (Hattie,
1990; Durndell jt., 1995; Hale, 2002). It might be that elements of face-to-face learning are
more needed for the girls for real communication.

Conclusion
The first and the second hypotheses were conclusive. Because the students did not prefer
wholly web-based courses as much as blended courses, teachers cannot instruct without face-
to-face teaching in general education. Students in such age tended to need direct contact with
teachers, especially in the two first phases of instruction (‘presenting information’ and
‘guiding the learner’). Computers with multimedia could provide information in different
forms (videos, animations, sound, text, graphics) and levels, but teacher is still important for
students. Internet might be used to deliver learning materials, but only self-instructing was not
preferred by the students. To implement wholly web-based courses for general education
skills of independent learning and self-direction should be taught to the students first.

The third hypothesis was not confirmed. Boys were more willing to use wholly web-based
learning, but we cannot say that boys liked more learning activities with web-based learning
or like some learning activities more than girls did. Therefore it could be concluded that
blended web-based courses could be suitable for boys and girls equally.

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