Characteristics and Performance of Students in an Online Section of Business Statistics

Figures & data

Table 1: Course completion by section

Section	Finished Course	Dropped by Oct 1	Dropped after Oct 1	Totals
Online	137	6	16	159
Lecture	41	6	1	48
Total	178	12	17	207

Table 2: Descriptive statistics, various characteristics.

	Lecture	Online	Total	Test of Difference
Semester hours - Mean St. dev. No. obs.	15.0 2.2 137	14.1 4.3 41	14.8 2.8 178	Difference Test statistic - t p-value of test	−0.89 1.29 0.2032
% WebAssign experience St. dev. No. obs.	86.1% 3.1% 122	82.9% 5.9% 41	85.3% 2.8% 163	Difference Test statistic - z p-value of test	−3.1% −0.49 0.6236
% commuting St. dev. No. obs.	18.0% 3.5% 122	26.8% 6.9% 41	20.2% 3.1% 163	Difference Test statistic - z p-value of test	8.8% 0.15 0.8770
% working St. dev. No. obs.	83.6% 3.4% 122	85.4% 5.5% 41	84.0% 2.9% 163	Difference Test statistic - z p-value of test	1.8% 0.27 0.7901
Hours of work - Mean St. dev. No. obs.	16.9 8.5 101	22.4 13.2 34	18.3 10.1 135	Difference Test statistic - t p-value of test	5.5 2.27 0.0281
% female St. dev. No. obs.	36.5% 4.1% 137	58.5% 7.7% 41	41.6% 3.7% 178	Difference Test statistic - z p-value of test	22.0% 2.51 0.0120
GPA - Mean St. dev. No. obs.	2.92 0.48 126	3.17 0.51 39	2.98 0.50 165	Difference Test statistic - t p-value of test	0.25 2.93 0.0039
Age - Mean St. dev. No. obs.	21.9 2.6 137	23.6 5.1 41	22.3 3.4 178	Difference Test statistic - t p-value of test	1.8 2.13 0.0387
% previous distance educ St. dev. No. obs.	19.7% 3.6% 122	56.1% 7.8% 41	28.8% 3.5% 163	Difference Test statistic - z p-value of test	36.4% 4.45 0.0000

Figure 1. Computer Experience Distributions.

Figure 2. Distribution of Majors.

Figure 3. Percentages, Computer Access Time.

Figure 4. Class Distributions.

Table 3: Survey 1 Responses concerning student needs, with P-values for tests of independence between section type and responses.

Likert Scale	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree	Sample Size	P value
1. Conflict between class time and work commitmens is a significant problem for me.
Lecture Online	17.4% 9.8%	31.4% 24.4%	24.0% 17.1%	20.7% 26.8%	6.6% 22.0%	121 41	0.0458
2. Work commitments strongly influenced my choice between lecture and online sections.
Lecture Online	23.3% 12.2%	32.5% 26.8%	31.7% 17.1%	10.8% 19.5%	1.7% 24.4%	120 41	0.0000
3. A course scheduling conflict strongly influenced my choice between lecture and online sections.
Lecture Online	17.7% 9.8%	30.3% 19.5%	35.3% 7.3%	10.9% 26.8%	5.9% 36.6%	119 41	0.0000
4. I find commuting to class a hardship.
Lecture Online	20.8% 17.1%	33.3% 26.8%	15.0% 26.8%	23.3% 22.0%	7.5% 7.3%	120 41	0.5534
5. Face-to-face contact with the instructors of my classes is very important to me.
Lecture Online	0.0% 0.0%	4.1% 14.6%	15.7% 48.8%	49.6% 34.2%	30.6% 2.4%	121 41	0.0000
6. Face-to-face contact with fellow students in my classes is very important to me.
Lecture Online	0.8% 4.9%	7.4% 43.9%	31.4% 29.3%	39.7% 17.1%	20.7% 4.9%	121 41	0.0000
7. Attending regular class meetings is an important motivator for me.
Lecture Online	1.7% 4.9%	5.0% 43.9%	12.4% 31.7%	49.6% 19.5%	31.4% 0.0%	121 41	0.0000
8. I learn better when I have face-to-face contact with my fellow students.
Lecture Online	2.5% 12.2%	11.6% 41.5%	32.2% 36.6%	37.2% 4.9%	16.5% 4.9%	121 41	0.0000
9. If I need help, I'm more likely to email my instructor than to meet with him/her face-to-face.
Lecture Online	15.7% 2.4%	17.4% 14.6%	18.2% 12.2%	33.9% 41.5%	14.9% 29.3%	121 41	0.0593
10. Flexibility in setting pace and time for studying is important to me.
Lecture Online	0.8% 0.0%	4.1% 2.4%	18.2% 4.9%	53.7% 56.1%	23.1% 36.6%	121 41	0.1919
11. I learn better from hearing a lecture.
Lecture Online	0.8% 5.0%	6.6% 20.0%	20.7% 50.0%	45.5% 22.5%	26.5% 2.5%	121 40	0.0000
12. I learn better form reading lecture materials.
Lecture Online	2.5% 2.4%	17.4% 12.2%	30.6% 43.9%	35.5% 26.8%	14.1% 14.6%	121 41	0.5895

Table 4: Survey 2 Responses concerning student needs with P-values for tests of independence between section type and responses.

Likert Scale	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree	Sample Size	P value
I needed lectures in class meeting to really understand the material of the course.
Lecture Online	2.5% 12.5%	5.1% 46.9%	10.2% 34.4%	53.4% 6.3%	28.8% 0.0%	118 32	0.0000
I was able to learn what I needed for the course from the materials on the website.
Lecture Online	4.2% 0.0%	11.0% 6.3%	26.3% 3.1%	47.5% 56.3%	11.0% 34.4%	118 32	0.0028
I found it difficult to balance the demands of the course with my other commitments.
Lecture Online	1.7% 12.5%	26.3% 31.3%	28.8% 25.0%	37.3% 21.9%	5.9% 9.4%	118 32	0.0419
I was able to avoid getting behind in the course during the semester.
Lecture Online	1.7% 6.3%	18.6% 9.4%	16.9% 25.0%	50.8% 40.6%	11.9% 18.8%	118 32	0.2340

Table 5: Survey 2 responses concerning student use of resources, with P-values for tests of independence between section type and responses.

Likert Scale	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree	Sample Size	P value
During the semester I referred frequently to the record of my grades accessible through the website.
Lecture Online	0.8% 0.0%	3.4% 0.0%	3.4% 6.3%	52.5% 34.4%	39.8% 59.4%	118 32	0.3198
During the semester I referred frequently to the PowerPoint slides on the website.
Lecture Online	11.0% 16.1%	31.4% 19.4%	21.2% 25.8%	25.4% 22.6%	11.0% 16.1%	118 31	0.6261
During the semester I referred frequently to the series of 40 Lessons on the website.
Lecture Online	10.3% 0.0%	35.0% 0.0%	22.2% 3.1%	23.1% 18.8%	9.4% 78.1%	117 32	0.0000
I regularly read the bulletins on the course website.
Lecture Online	0.9% 0.0%	11.1% 0.0%	18.8% 9.7%	51.3% 25.8%	17.9% 64.5%	117 31	0.0001

Table 6: Survey 2 responses concerning emails to instructor.

Response	Lecture Section	Online Section
About how many times during the semester did you send emails to the instructor?
Never Between 1 and 4 times Between 5 and 10 times More than 10 times	43.4% 52.2% 2.6% 1.7%	6.6% 75.0% 12.5% 6.3%
P-value for chi-square test of independence between section and response = 0.0003
How often did you come to the instructor's office hours?
Never Once or twice during the semester Every week or two Once a week or more	71.2% 22.9% 3.4% 2.5%	62.5% 28.1% 6.3% 3.1%
P-value for chi-square test of independence between section and response = 0.7748
How often did you attend the weekly lab sessions in the basement of Nelson Hall?
Never About a quarter of the time About half the time About three quarters of the time All the time or almost all the time	49.2% 29.7% 5.9% 6.8% 8.5%	96.8% 3.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
P-value for chi-square test of independence between section and response = 0.0013
How many of the test review sessions conducted by the TA's did you attend?
Mean	2.15	1.41
P-value for 2-tailed t test for difference in means (variances equal) = 0.0050
On average, how often did you consult the TA's for help outside of the lab or review sessions?
Never Once or twice during the semester Every week or two Once a week or more	44.9% 43.2% 7.6% 4.2%	81.3% 18.8% 0.0% 0.0%
P-value for chi-square test of independence between section and response = 0.0113

Table 7: Survey 2 responses concerning student use of resourses, with P-values for tests of independence between section type and responses.

Likert Scale	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly Agree	Sample Size	P value
It is easy to find things in the course website.
Lecture Online	0.8% 0.0%	5.1% 0.0%	5.1% 6.5%	55.1% 42.2%	33.9% 48.4%	118 31	0.6771
For homework assignments I prefer using WebAssign rather than doing assignments to turn in on paper for grading.
Lecture Online	4.2% 3.1%	8.5% 3.1%	6.8% 3.1%	41.5% 31.3%	39.0% 59.4%	118 32	0.3181
The ability to resubmit my answers several times on WebAssign helped me learn more from the assignments.
Lecture Online	0.8% 0.0%	5.1% 0.0%	4.2% 6.3%	37.3% 31.3%	52.5% 62.5%	118 32	0.8554
Knowing immediately whether my answers are correct or not on WebAssign helped me learn more from the assignments.
Lecture Online	1.7% 0.0%	3.4% 3.1%	4.2% 0.0%	39.8% 25.0%	50.8% 71.9%	118 32	0.4153
The number of homework and lab assignments was about right for the material we covered.
Lecture Online	2.6% 6.3%	21.4% 15.6%	19.7% 21.9%	42.7% 40.6%	13.7% 15.6%	118 32	0.8116

Table 8: OLS regression coefficients for exam grades.

	Coefficients in bold
Intercept p-value	74.4721 0.0000	12.3798 0.0596
Online p-value	8.2615 0.0032	4.8101 0.0371
GPA p-value		12.9755 0.0000
HWLab p-value		0.3147 0.0000
Commute p-value		−7.2767 0.0043
Comp Exper p-value		2.7137 0.2485
Female p-value		−3.2484 0.1134
R Squared	0.0483	0.4677
N	178	150

Table 9: OLS regression coefficients for partial course grades.

	Coefficients in bold
Intercept p-value	81.0774 0.0000	29.7459 0.0000
Online p-value	6.4971 0.0014	3.6462 0.0181
GPA p-value		8.4215 0.0000
HWLab p-value		0.3328 0.0000
Commute p-value		−2.4894 0.1395
Comp Exper p-value		1.8690 0.2335
Female p-value		−3.0567 0.0262
R Squared	0.0565	0.5672
N	178	150

Table 10: Logit coefficients. Limited dep. variable = finished (Coefficients, p-vlaues, marginal probability effects.)

Intercept p-value	1.8289 0.0000	−3.6664 0.0078
Online p-value prob effect	−0.0613 0.8061 −0.0074	−0.6022 0.2462 −0.0747
GPA p-value prob effect		2.0163 0.0001 0.2501
Mean dep var	0.8599	0.8549
N	207	193

Table

NAME:	SS#:
UNITY USER ID:
Signature: .	Date:

Table

NAME:	SS#:
UNITY USER ID:
Signature: .	Date:

Table B-8: Regression coefficients for exam grades.

	Coefficients in bold
	OLS extimates		Huber M estimates		FWLS estimates
Intercept p-value	74.4721 0.0000	12.3798 0.0596	75.0806 0.0000	12.3798 0.0554	74.8377 0.0000	14.4937 0.0207
Online p-value	8.2615 0.0032	4.8101 0.0371	9.7182 0.0006	6.4680 0.0041	10.2925 0.0000	6.2689 0.0048
GPA p-value		12.9755 0.0000		12.6744 0.0000		12.3666 0.0000
HWLab p-value		0.3147 0.0000		0.3348 0.0000		0.3170 0.0000
Commute p-value		−7.276 0.0043		−7.5813 0.0022		−7.1857 0.0012
CompExper p-value		2.7137 0.2485		2.4909 0.2803		2.1071 0.3484
Female p-value		−3.2484 0.1134		−4.9137 0.0145		−4.0229 0.0404
R Squared	0.0483	0.4677	0.0591	0.4160	0.0738	0.4160
N	178	150	178	150	178	150
Outliers					3	1

Table B-9: Regression coefficients for partial course grades.

	Coefficients in bold
	OLS extimates		Huber M estimates		FWLS estimates
Intercept p-value	81.0774 0.0000	29.7459 0.0000	81.8194 0.0000	33.5690 0.0000	81.7661 0.0000	29.7459 0.0000
Online p-value	6.4971 0.0014	3.6462 0.0181	6.7590 0.0004	3.8055 0.0096	6.6115 0.0002	3.6462 0.0168
GPA p-value		8.4215 0.0000		8.6484 0.0000		8.4215 0.0000
HWLab p-value		0.3328 0.0000		0.2903 0.0000		0.3328 0.0000
Commute p-value		−2.4894 0.1395		−2.4572 0.1280		−2.4894 0.1373
CompExper p-value		1.8690 0.2335		1.5533 0.3022		1.8690 0.2316
Female p-value		−3.0567 0.0262		−3.7833 0.0039		−3.0567 0.0246
R Squared	0.0565	0.5672	0.0609	0.4586	0.0763	0.6609
N	178	150	178	150	178	150
Outliers					3	0