Lisa Emerson

A comparison between paper‐based and online learning in higher education

To date researchers have had difficulty establishing reliable conclusions in studies comparing traditional forms of learning (e.g. paper-based or classroom based) vs online learning in relation to student learning outcomes; no consistent results have emerged, and many studies have not been controlled for factors other than lesson mode. This paper compares the effects of presenting two versions of lessons on punctuation that differed only in their mode of presentation. Fifty-nine students completed a pre-lesson questionnaire, and after the lessons completed another questionnaire plus the [National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index] NASA-TLX which tests subjective cognitive workload stress. The results showed that students who sat the lessons on paper performed 24 per cent better than those who sat the lessons online. Reasons for this difference in learning outcomes are considered, but no clear reason is apparent in the data from this study. The study sounds a note of caution in terms of the move by tertiary institutions to online and/or blended learning, and suggests further studies are required which assess learning outcomes in different modes of learning.

A team of equals: teaching writing in the sciences

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) is a way of integrating the teaching of writing into specific academic disciplines. A problem faced in the WAC literature is how to develop a process that integrates the skills of multi‐disciplinary teams. In this project, action research was used to develop a team comprising faculty from the applied sciences and a writing teacher which had been commissioned to integrate the teaching of writing into an undergraduate horticulture course. Five features of action research were of particular importance: the foci of change and collaboration, the rational, systematic process it provided, the locating of the research in a real as opposed to controlled context, and the dual foci of action and research. Action research provided a successful process and structure for the project: outcomes included changed attitudes to writing amongst students and a deeper understanding of how students value written assessment. Unexpected outcomes included spontaneous participation of students in the action research process, the provision of useful methods of reflection for teaching staff, and the development of professional trust amongst faculty from different disciplines.

Tutoring ESL writers online

This work in progress aims to briefly present the application of writing tutoring as it relates to writing programs and writing centers. The practice of face-to-face tutoring is compared to online tutoring. The initial literature review and the pilot interview found mixed responses to online tutoring among developing ESL writers.