Teaching Effectiveness: The Traditional Classroom vs. The Virtual Classroom

Since 1998, I have been teaching an online course called Introduction to Music Theory. The content is entirely online and is in the format of an interactive textbook. As course instructor, I have been able to serve an average of 20 students during each of the spring, fall and summer semesters-at first as a remedial course for college music students, and more recently as a university studies elective. Although internet courses have grown in numbers in recent years, much has been said and written questioning the effectiveness of web instruction.

Prior to 1998, I taught the course in a traditional classroom environment, so it provides a rare opportunity to compare conventional instruction to online teaching. Effectiveness of instruction can certainly be measured in any number of ways, but by comparing the two means of informational delivery in this single course I have been able to make some interesting observations regarding teaching effectiveness.

First, the organization of a web-based course is an imperative. For students to find logic to and to understand the sequence of material delivery without the aid of instructor interaction, course objectives must be focused, clear and well organized. I arranged the information for this course as a textbook, and the students are asked to read the "text" during the course of the semester. Javascript is used to enhance interactivity, and students are encouraged to "discover" information with the mouse in a variety of situations. In the conventional classroom, I had a great deal more flexibility in altering content based on student needs.

Students' comments and questions are a common means of determining effectiveness of instruction. My classroom environment allows for free student dialogue and exchanges that can lead to immediate feedback regarding the effectiveness of delivery. The internet course allows for feedback in a similar manner. Each page of the course contains an email link to me, allowing students to contact me any time a question or comment may arise. This is regarded as asynchronous communication, and dialogue is certainly not as immediate as it is in the live setting. A discussion board, however, is available to fulfill the need for synchronous classroom discussions, and it provides a forum for students to discuss among themselves and with me.

Testing can also help to determine teaching efficiency and effectiveness. The course relies primarily on paper and pencil testing both in the classroom and in the virtual environment. In the classroom students fill out and return an exam within the hour. On the web, I send exams to students in the form of PDF files, as email attachments. They are required to download the exam, print it out and fill it out within 24 hours. No significant difference in student test scores has been shown between the classroom version of the course and the web version.

Student feedback, as previously suggested, is a valuable means of determining course effectiveness. Traditional classroom instruction typically offers, at semester's end, course and instructor assessments by providing standardized evaluation tools and making available written comment sheets in such a way that students may remain anonymous. The university also provides that service to students for web courses. When I present evaluations in a manner that is positive and suggestive that positive outcomes will result, students tend to take advantage of each method of evaluation whether it is processed in the classroom or on the internet.

One of the greatest differences between the two forums for delivery, the virtual class vs. the real class, is the live interaction between people that is best found in the conventional classroom. Gestures, eye movements, and other physical attitudes can enhance the learning process, and that is missing in the web environment. Instruction on the web requires thoughtful and considered written communication skills that may help to replace visual communication found in the real classroom.

The internet can be an effective environment for informational dissemination. As was suggested earlier, the effectiveness of instruction can be measured in any number of ways, and when comparing the live classroom environment to the virtual environment of the internet, primary differences become apparent and should be noted when attempting to teach effectively. The primary strength of classroom instruction—missing in the virtual environment—can be found in the live, personal interaction between instructor and student. The primary strength of web instruction—often missing in the classroom environment—can be found in the lack of temporal constraints. Students can work at an individual pace, during any time of day or night.