The Effectiveness of Home-Study Driver Education Compared to Classroom Instruction: The Impact on Student Knowledge and Attitudes

Abstract

Problem: Home-study driver education programs exist in several states, but none have been scientifically evaluated to determine if such courses are as effective as classroom courses for teaching driver education.

Method: Over 1,300 students were randomly assigned to classroom instruction, or CD ROM, workbook, or Internet/workbook home-study courses and compared on proctored exit examination knowledge and attitude scores, and written knowledge test outcomes.

Results: Few differences were found on exit examination knowledge and attitude scores, but they tended to favor the CD and Internet/workbook home-study courses over the classroom or workbook courses. Differences favoring the classroom on written knowledge test outcomes likely reflect a bias in classroom courses toward teaching test-specific material.

Discussion: The findings present no compelling evidence that home-study courses are less effective than classroom courses for teaching driver education.

Impact on Industry: The findings could result in more widespread use of home-study courses. Also, the use of low-cost home-study courses as the first course of a two-stage driver education and training system could make integrating such programs with graduated driver licensing more feasible and acceptable to the public.

Keywords:

• Driver Education
• Home Study
• CD
• Workbook
• Internet
• Distance Learning
• GDL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The study was prepared by the Research and Development Branch of the California Department of Motor Vehicles under the administration of Cliff Helander, Chief. The authors would like to thank Robert Hagge, Research Manager, and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful review and critique of the study. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this study are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the California Department of Motor Vehicles or the State of California.

Notes

1 A more extensive review of existing home-study driver education programs, additional information about the home-study courses and study methodology, and some supplementary statistical analyses not presented here are available in a monographThe Effectiveness of Home-Study Driver Education Compared to Classroom Instruction: The Impact on Student Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (Masten, S. V. & Chapman, E. A. [2003]. Report No. 203. Sacramento: California Department of Motor Vehicles).

^a Dropout rates were not significantly different, χ²(3, N = 1,493) = 2.05, p = .56.

^b Non-completion rates were higher for PEN and classroom than for the CD-ROM or workbook, χ²(3, N = 1,493) = 54.56, p < .05.