Individual study, interactive multimedia, or cooperative learning: Which activity best supplements lecture-based distance education?

Abstract

Distance education is the fastest growing form of domestic and international education (M. S. Mclsaac & C. N. Gunawardena, 1996, p. 403). Unfortunately, research investigating effective use of distance education has not kept pace with implementation. In this study, the authors evaluated how lecture-based distance education could best be supplemented with various learning activities. Undergraduate volunteers participated in 1 of 3 post-distance-education lecture activities: individual study, cooperative learning, or interactive multimedia. Then they were tested on knowledge of lecture material and were asked how much they enjoyed the distance education experience. Results indicated that although the interactive multimedia group enjoyed the learning activity more than the cooperative learning and individual study groups, the cooperative learning group learned the most.