Abstract
There has been a steady growth in the use of online instruction in higher education. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased both the need for and the use of this technology when schools were shut down, further establishing online learning as a viable educational platform for higher education. Many online higher education courses rely heavily on reading textbooks, articles, or both, where students complete assignments and quizzes to demonstrate their knowledge of the presented material. Instructors often require students to complete activities to provide evidence that they have read the assigned materials. There is limited research on the extent to which assignments lead to the best student performance. The current study examined quiz scores after students completed either study questions or reading summaries. Instructors provided students with choices on which assignments to complete during some weeks and quiz scores were compared with weeks when students were not given a choice of assignments. Results showed that there were higher quiz scores in the weeks when students were given a choice of assignments. There was no difference in quiz scores across the types of assignments. Results are discussed in terms of embedding more choice into graduate-level online classes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acolatse, T. W. (2016). Enhancing the online classroom: Transitioning from discussion to engagement online. Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 19(3)
Allen, E., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade change: Tracking online education in the United States. Babson Park, MA: Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group. http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/grade-change-2013
Ayu, M. (2020). Online learning: Leading e-learning at higher education. The Journal of English Literacy Education, 7(1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.36706/jele.v7i1.11515
Beaudoin, M. (2016). Issues in distance education: A primer for higher education decision makers. New Directions for Higher Education, 173, 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20175
Berry, T., Cook, L., Hill, N., & Stevens, K. (2010). An exploratory analysis of textbook usage and study habits: Misperceptions and barriers to success. College Teaching, 59(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2010.509376
Bird, Z., & Chase, P. N. (2021). Student pacing in a master’s level course: Procrastination, preference, and performance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(3), 1220–1234. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.806
Boyce, T. E., & Hineline, P. N. (2002). InterTeaching: A strategy for enhancing the user-friendliness of behavioral arrangements in the college classroom. The Behavior Analyst, 25, 215–226. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392059
Castro, M. D. B., & Tumibay, G. M. (2021). A literature review: Efficacy of online learning courses for higher education institutions using meta-analysis. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1367–1385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-10027-z
Chase, J. A., & Houmanfar, R. (2009). The differential effects of elaborate feedback and basic feedback on student performance in a modified, personalized system of instruction course. Journal of Behavioral Education, 18(3), 245–265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-009-9089-2
Cracolice, M. S., & Roth, S. M. (1996). Keller’s “old” personalized system of instruction: A “new” solution for today’s college chemistry students. The Chemical Educator, 1(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00897960004a
de Macêdo Morais, L. A., Figueiredo, J. C. A., Guerrero, D. D. S. (2014). Students satisfaction with mastery learning in an introductory programming course. In Brazilian Symposium on Computers in Education (Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação-SBIE) (Vol. 25, p. 1048). https://doi.org/10.5753/cbie.sbie.2014.1048
Du, J., & Xu, J. (2010). The quality of online discussion reported by graduate students. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 11(1), 13–24.
Dumford, A. D., & Miller, A. L. (2018). Online learning in higher education: Exploring advantages and disadvantages for engagement. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 30, 452–465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-018-9179-z
Fell, J. P. (1989). The Keller plan in nurse education. The Vocational Aspect of Education, 41(109), 65–68.
Foss, K. A., Foss, S. K., Paynton, S., & Hahn, L. (2014). Increasing college retention with a personalized system of instruction: A case study. Journal of Case Studies in Education, 5.
Hanewicz, C., Platt, A., & Arendt, A. (2017). Creating a learner-centered teaching environment using student choice in assignments. Distance Education, 38(3), 273–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/105879179.2017.1369349
Hurtado-Parrado, C., Pfaller-Sadovsky, N., Medina, L., Gayman, C. M., Rost, K. A., & Schofill, D. (2022). A systematic review and quantitative analysis of InterTeaching. Journal of Behavioral Education, 1–29
Johnson, S. (2019). The rise—and fall—of reading. Chronicle of Higher Education, 65(31).
Kang, X., & Zhang, W. (2023). An experimental case study on forum-based online teaching to improve student’s engagement and motivation in higher education. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(2), 1029–1040. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1817758
Keller, F. S., Sherman, J. G., & Bori, C. M. (1974). PSI: The Keller plan handbook. Benjamin.
Kerr, M. M., & Frese, K. M. (2017). Reading to learn or learning to read? Engaging college students in course readings. College Teaching, 65(1), 28–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2016.1222577
Khan, S. A., Arif, M. H., & Yousuf, M. I. (2019). A study of the relationship between learning preferences and academic achievement. Bulletin of Education and Research, 41(1), 17–32.
Lei, S. A., Bartlett, K. A., Gorney, S. E., & Herschbach, T. R. (2010). Resistance to reading compliance among college students. Instructors’ perspectives. College Student Journal, 44(2), 219–229.
Lockart, K. A., Sexton, J., & Lea, C. (1975). The Findley procedure: A method for examining choice-making behavior in academic settings. Behavior Research and Technical in HIgher Education, 46(3), 456–462.
Marinoni, G., Van’t Land, H., & Jensen, T. (2020). The impact of Covid-19 on higher education around the world. IAU Global Survey Report, 23. https://www.uniss.it/sites/default/files/news/iau_covid19_and_he_survey_report_final_may_2020.pdf
Metzler, M., & Sebolt, D. (1994). Instructor’s manual for the personalized sport instruction series. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt.
Miller, P. (2001). Learning styles: The multimedia of the mind. ERIC Document Reproduction Service ED451140. (Abstract) Retrieved from http://www.edrs.com/ Members/ebsco.cfm?ED=ED451140.
Nist, S. L., & Simpson, M. L. (2000). College studying. In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 3, pp. 645–666). Mahwah: Erlbaum.
Oliveira, G., Grenha Teixeira, J., Torres, A., & Morais, C. (2021). An exploratory study on the emergency remote education experience of higher education students and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. British Journal of Educational Technology: Journal of the Council for Educational Technology, 52(4), 1357–1376. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13112
Phillips, B. J., & Phillips, F. (2007). Sink or skim: Textbook reading behaviors of introductory accounting students. Issues in Accounting Education, 22(1), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.2308/iace.2007.22.1.21
Prewitt, S. L., Hannon, J. C., Colquitt, G., Brusseau, T. A., Newton, M., & Shaw, J. (2015). Effect of personalized system of instruction on health-related fitness knowledge and class time physical activity. The Physical Educator, 72(5), 23–39.
Ryan, T. (2006). Motivating novice students to read their textbooks. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 33(2), 135–140.
San Millan Maurino, P. (2007). Looking for critical thinking in online threaded discussions. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(3), 241–260. https://doi.org/10.2190/P4W3-8117-K32G-R34M
Sappington, J., Kinsey, K., & Munsayac, K. (2002). Two studies of reading compliance among college students. Teaching of Psychology, 29(4), 212–221. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328023TOP2904_02
Seaman, J. E., Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2018). Grade increase: Tracking distance education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group.
Solomon, P. (1979). The two-point system: A method for encouraging students to read assigned material before class. Teaching of Psychology, 6(2), 77–80.
United States Department of Education. (2009). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Retrieved from https://ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf.
Warden, J. A., & Brandi, B. D. (1981). Development and evaluation of individualized clothing construction modules. Home Economics Research Journal, 9(4), 347–355.
Wolery, M., Gast, D. L., & Ledford, J. R. (2018). Comparative designs. In J. R. Ledford & D. L. Gast (Eds.), Single case research methodology: Applications in special education and behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). Milton Park: Routledge.
Xu, D., & Xu, Y. (2019). The promises and limits of online higher education: Understanding how distance education affects access, cost, and quality. American Enterprise Institute.
Zeivots, S. (2021). Up to 80% of uni students don’t read their assigned readings. Here are 6 helpful tips for teachers. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/handle/2123/29554/Zeivots%20Up%20to%2080%20percent%20of%20uni%20students%20dont%20read.pdf?sequence=1
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this article.
Ethical approval
Study-specific approval was granted from an ethics committee due to research involving humans and informed consent to participate in the research was received.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Tereshko, L.M., Zane, T. & Weiss, M.J. The Effect of Choice on Student Performance in Online Graduate Classes. J Behav Educ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-024-09543-x
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-024-09543-x