We present the results of a linear regression of exam scores for students in general chemistry versus performance in two online learning systems: WebAssign, which presents problems in a traditional manner, and ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces), which is an adaptive, tutorial-based system. Comparisons are made for students taking the same general chemistry course, taught by the same instructor, in the same quarter in subsequent years, where WebAssign was used one year, and ALEKS the next. We find that in WebAssign, a 1 point difference in homework score corresponded, on average, to a 0.46 point difference in final exam score (95% CI: 0.36, 0.56). In ALEKS, a 1 point difference in homework score corresponded, on average, to a 1.06 point difference in final exam score (95% CI: 0.98, 1.15). Controlling for gender and SAT scores did not change the overall conclusion.

Statistical analysis of the efficacy of online learning in general chemistry at the University of Washington

245th National Meeting (2013)

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