The effects of web-supported active learning activities on teacher trainees' achievement, attitudes towards course and further retention levels

The purpose of the research is to assert the effects of web-based active learning practice on academic achievements, attitudes towards the course and retention levels of teacher trainees. In order to test the hypotheses, a pre-test and post-test model with control group was used. The research was carried out within the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies of Education Faculty, Ege University with third grade students taking Networks and Communication Course in the second term of 2005- 2006 academic year. There were 27 students in the experimental group and 26 students in the control group. An attitude scale and an achievement test on Computer Networks and Communication course ?in the form of a pretest, a posttest, and a follow up test developed by the researcher- were implemented to the experimental and the control groups. During the practice, data base recordings of participants? web activities were kept. In addition to the follow up test, an e-learning questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative questions was given to acquire the practice feedback of the experimental group. The experimental group was given lessons with Web-supported active learning activities whereas the control group was instructed in traditional methods. Two-way variance and contrast analysis in repeated measures were used in assessing data of learners? attitudes towards the course and networks and communication course achievement on the other hand; mean, frequency and percentage were applied to analyze data-base recordings and e-learning questionnaire outputs. SPSS 13 and ITEMAN statistical software were run to analyze the received data. Results obtained by the analysis of achievement test data demonstrated a significant difference between achievement test scores of the experimental and the control groups, between pre-test and post-test (p=0,00) and between the pre-test and the follow up test (p=0,00). Conversely, there was no significant difference between the post-test and the follow up test Results obtained by the analysis of attitude scale data demonstrated a significant difference between attitude scale scores of the experimental and the control groups, between pre-test and follow up test (p=0,00) and between post-test and pre-test (p=0,02). Conversely, there was no significant difference between the post-test and the follow up test According to the results based on the analysis of the E-learning questionnaire, the participants expressed their satisfaction with the classroom activities and e-learning practice. They also pointed out that they perceived the teacher as an instructor and a guide. Their participation was mostly from home. The strengths of Web-supported learning were time and place independence and finally the weaknesses came out as the lack of interaction and the feedback as compared to the traditional teaching