Maximizing Learning From Rehearsal Activity In Web-Based Distance Learning

Faculty teaching distance courses continuously seek ways to maximize learning for students. Two practice with feedback strategies were examined in this study for their impact on students\u27 achievement and attitudes in an upper-division university level web-based course. One format contained higher structure and dialogue creating lower transactional distance for rehearsals and the other was lower structure and dialogue creating higher transactional distance for learners. Forty-five upper division students enrolled in a web-based distance course were blocked by major and randomly assigned to one of two rehearsal treatments: (1) practice tests with correct answers displayed below the tests for comparison or (2) interactive practice tests with computer-generated feedback for correct answers and percentage correct test scores. Results indicate that the students taking interactive quizzes in the lower transactional distance format (computer-generated item feedback and test scores) performed significantly better on the final examination (p = .01) and rated the practice and feedback activities as more relevant (p = .03) than students who were free to view the questions and answers on their own