You are on page 1of 1

Is e-learning The BIG Number…

as effective as
classroom
learning?
0
The difference between
the effectiveness of e-learning
and classroom learning for

F
or many organizations e-learning can be more efficient than classroom declarative knowledge; and the
training, for example, to deliver content to large geographically dispersed difference between learners’
audiences, to personalize content, or to give access to just-in-time satisfaction with both methods.
information during job performance. Yet despite these obvious advantages,
learning professionals often wonder whether e-learning is as effective as class-
room offerings.
The answer to appears to be yes, according to researchers at the Department E-learning and
of Defense’s Advanced Distribute Learning Initiative (ADL) and the University classroom learning
of Tulsa. In their work, Traci Sitzmann, Robert Wisher, Kurt Kraiger, and
David Stewart conducted a meta-analysis of 96 previously conducted studies were found to be
that compared the effects of Web-based and classroom instruction. Most of equally effective
the instruction in the 96 studies targeted declarative knowledge (i.e., knowledge
of facts, concepts and principles) rather than procedural knowledge (i.e., when the content
practical skills). and learners
E-learning and classroom learning were found to be equally effective when
the content and learners were similar in both the Web-based and the classroom were similar
courses. Also, learners were equally satisfied with the two methods of
instruction. According to Brenda Sugrue, ASTD’s senior director of research, the
“no significant difference” finding is common when comparing the effectiveness
of any two instructional media.
However, Sitzmann, Wisher, Kraiger, and Stewart found that
e-learning was more effective than classroom instruction when
learners had more control over the content, sequence, or pace of
the material. Learner control did not affect satisfaction with e-
learning. This finding bodes well for modularized asynchronous =
e-learning and on-demand access to informational content =
where learners have, by default, more control over when and
what they learn.
=
A full report of this study is available in the ASTD 2005 +
Research-to-Practice Conference Proceedings, available by
contacting ASTDResearch@astd.org =
Traci Sitzmann may be reached at sitzmant@adlnet.org. +

All things being equal, it would seem that,


well, most things seem to be equal when it comes
to e-learning vs. classroom instruction.

18 TDAugust 2005 Copyright ASTD, August 2005

You might also like