Research Article

What Can Faculty Members and Programs Do to Improve Students' Learning?

Table 3

Mean scores for items related to preferences for choice/flexibility and learning in courses.

Items for choice/flexibility in courses Mean scoreSD

Courses provide for choice in assignment topics 4.40.50
I should be able to exercise some autonomy in terms of meeting my own learning needs through my coursework4.15.58
I would prefer that all courses provided choice in terms of how many discussion forums I was required to participate in4.08.96
I prefer some autonomy in terms of which weeks of the course I do more or less of the coursework.4.05.96
I would prefer choice in working on assignments individually or within a group4.05.88
Courses provide for flexibility in deadlines for individual work4.02.89
Courses do not have mandatory participation for all weeks of the course3.981.08
Courses provide for flexibility in deadlines for group work3.91.87
Choice, in relation to course content issues, is desirable3.65.83
I prefer some autonomy in terms of when I work on different sections of the course3.60.96
Choice, in relation to readings and resources, is desirable3.43.93
I would prefer to choose my own partners/team members, rather than be assigned by the instructor3.301.07

Items related to learning Mean scoreSD

I feel that I can apply my new knowledge to new and different situations in my professional life4.13.80
I feel that I have integrated the knowledge that I have learned and am able to relate it to my professional practice4.03.87
I feel that I have mastered the essential content of my online courses3.90.55
I feel that I am achieving success as an online learner, in terms of mastering the knowledge base of my program3.85.78
I am satisfied with my level of learning in most of my online courses to date3.84.90
I feel that my learning outcomes from this program can be favorably compared with graduates from other similar programs3.71.90
I feel that my learning outcomes from online courses are as favorable as if I had taken the course on campus3.081.26