If E-learning is so good, why can’t we prove it?

Geoff Norman, PhD

Advantages of e-learning Portable Accessible any time Active learning Individualized Engaging Motivational

AND Sophisticated (e.g. VR, animation)

Evidence of (in)effectiveness

Effect of Learning Technology (Internet Learning) in Health Sciences

(Cook et al, JAMA 2008; 300: 1181-1196)

2190 studies

214 appropriate

130 No Intervention 76 Non-Internet

Control Control

No Intervention

Alternative Intervention

p=.04 ns ns ns

Is there something missing?

Which would you rather do? Go to the symphony

Go to World Cup game

Attend F1 GP race Watch “Chicago” on

stage Attend my lecture

Listen to it on iPod

Watch it on TV

Watch it on TV Watch “Chicago”

movie Watch it on YouTube

Why isn’t it a lot better? “E-learning” is too broad and non-specific

Good and bad practices Some advantages of conventional teaching

are lost “just in time” “just when needed”

Some of the technological advantages may be disadvantages Mayer multimedia Visual reality

Advantages of real teaching

“Teaching as the transformation of knowledge” L.Shulman

The role of the teacher is to transform knowledge as provided in the resources to a form useful to students

Disadvantages of E-learning

Mayer and Multimedia learning

The case of VR

Mayer Studies of Instructional design

Most things we do in e-learning presentations detract from learning

The Redundancy Principle

Presenting words in both text and audio narration can hurt learning

Effect of Redundancy

Better Learning Without Background Music

Animation vs. Static

Mayer, Hegarty Mayer & Campbell, 2005

What about Virtual Reality?

Background

• Virtual reality offers opportunity to present 3-D images in multiple orientations

• Promise to improve learning of spatial anatomy

Experiment 1

Learning spatial anatomy (wrist bones)

‘Key views’ (paper equivalent)

vs

Multiple views (virtual reality?)

Experimental control over learning time, computer

exposure, etc.

KV

Instructional Materials – Key ViewsInstructional Materials – Key Views

MV

Instructional Materials – Multiple ViewsInstructional Materials – Multiple Views

Study 1 – KV vs. MV First year students ( n = 87)

Two groups

–Multiple View 36 orientations 36 orientations 0 / 180 deg. +/- 10 deg.)

Key Views 2 Orientations

3 learn / test cycles

Three learn / test cycles

Results

Conclusions

No significant gain from multiple views

Concerns Is this lack of superiority for multiple views

a consequence of the particular task

Wrist is essentially a plane of bones Third dimension is of no consequence

Need a more three-dimensional object The BRAIN!!!

Purpose How do learner and instruction characteristics influence spatial learning of

brain anatomy?

Design 120 subjects, randomized single blind study

Setting 40 minutes on computer workstations

Subject Characteristics Spatial ability, gender, handedness, computer use, programme of study,

previous neuroanatomy exposure

Instruction Characteristic Brain surface anatomy model in 4 views, KV) or 30° increments (24 views, MV)

Active (subject-directed) or passive (timed) instruction (AKV, PKV, AMV, PMV)

Study 2Study 2

MV

Instructional Materials – Multiple ViewsInstructional Materials – Multiple Views

Intervention

Learning phase is 12 minutes total for all 4 groups

27 different anatomical structures labelled

Passive

Key Views (PKV)2 minutes for each of the four key views first pass, followed by 60 seconds each second pass

Multiple Views (PMV)30 seconds for each of the 24 views

Active

For AKV and AMV learner determines length of time on each image

Outcome

Measure of brain surface anatomy knowledge

Post-test30 created MCQs

Half of the questions using key views, half from rotated views

Results

What about “real life”?

Compare VR to KV to a plastic model

Study 3

“Real” Virtual Reality vs.

Two viewsVs.

Real Reality (plastic pelvis)

3 groups n = 20 undergrad

20 nominal questions

Test on real skeletal pelvis

Is it because they can touch it (haptics)?

The “lazy susan” study

Is it because they’re tested in 3-D?

Would the data reverse if they were tested on computer?“transfer appropriate processing”

Conclusions

E-learning has advantages and disadvantages

May be more cost-effective

May not be a panacea