Effects of Web-based instruction on learning behaviors of undergraduate and graduate students

Web-based instruction requires transformation from traditional teaching strategies to directed independent learning. Careful attention must be given to the creation of effective interactive learning experiences that foster student-to-student and student-to-faculty interactions (l). How content is learned, the effects of the use of computers on learning, and perceived barriers to learning must all be evaluated. Students' responses to Web-based education must also be considered. This article describes the response of 58 undergraduate and 13 graduate students to their initial experiences with Web-based instruction (WBI). While the educational levels of the students and the courses in which the transition to WBI took place differed for the two groups, their computer expertise did not, and similar responses to Web-based learning were noted. Differences in the types of courses and the expertise of the two faculty with regard to WBI also contributed to the production of some dissimilar responses.