Barbour, M. K., Kirby, D., & Sharpe, D., (2012, October). Does experience with online learning in high school impact distance education experiences in higher education? A paper presented at the annual convention of the Association for Educational Communication and Technology, Louisville, KY. Enrollments in K-12 online learning in the US have increased dramatically, an average of 30% annually over the past decade and projections indicate that up to 50% of secondary school courses could be delivered online by 2019. Similar levels of growth have been found in Canada. The expansion of online instruction in secondary school has been rationalized in a variety of ways, one of which is the argument that K-12 students need to engage in online learning to prepare them for future online learning opportunities. This research study was carried out to investigate if there are differences between students who complete secondary school courses exclusively in traditional classrooms and those who complete in an online environment with regard to their perceptions of self-regulatory skills, experience with online learning, expectations of online learning, their perceptions of online courses, and satisfaction with learning online. The results indicated when the high school online learners were compared to the other university students who did not have any prior online learning experience there were no significant differences between them on any of the measures included in this study. It is notable, however, that the construct measuring student perception of distance course communication and collaboration was very close to statistical significance. A significant finding would have indicated that the university students in the high school online learner group had a more positive attitude toward communication and collaboration in the distance education course format. These findings suggest high school students do not gain independent learning skills and attitudes through learning in an online environment.

1. Does Experience with Online Learning in
High School Impact Distance Education
Experiences in Higher Education?
Michael Barbour, Wayne State University
Dale Kirby & Dennis Sharpe, Memorial University of Newfoundland

2. Newfoundland and Labrador

3. Population
Density

4. Context: Newfoundland and Labrador
• The island is 43,359 square miles, while
Labrador covers 112,826
- Island itself is almost one-and-three-quarters times the
size of Great Britain
• population was 505,469 in 2006 Census
- 551,795 in 1996 / 568,350 in 1986
• Larger rural population than Canada as whole
• 40% population in centres with <1000 people

5. Context: Newfoundland and Labrador
• 294 schools in 2005-06
- 343 in 2000-01 / 472 in 1995-96
• 76,763 students in 2005-06
- 110,456 in 1995-96 / 142,332 in 1985-86
• average school size is 220 pupils
- 45% > 200 and 25% > 100
• Most schools considered rural
• 1/3 of schools designated necessarily existent

6. Communities: Norman Bay, Pop. ~52

7. Communities: English Hr. W., Pop. ~670

8. Communities: Nain, Pop. ~1,034

9. Communities: Francois, Pop. ~134

10. Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
The CDLI was founded in December 2000 by
the Department of Education, in response to
the recommendations of the 1999 Sparks-
Williams Ministerial Panel on Educational
Delivery.
The vision of the Centre is to
• provide access to educational opportunities for
students, teachers and other adult learners in
both rural and urban communities in a manner
that renders distance transparent;
• eliminate geographical and demographic
barriers as obstacles to broad, quality
educational programs and services; and
• develop a culture of e-learning in our schools
which is considered to be an integral part of
school life for all teachers and students.

11. Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
Synchronous – Online
• 30% to 80%, depending on subject
area
• taught via a virtual classroom
(e.g., Elluminate Live)
Asynchronous – Offline
• remainder of their time
• taught via a course management
system (e.g., WebCT)
• usually consists of independent
work from posted homework or
assignments or from their
textbooks

12. Killick Centre for E-Learning Research
http://www.mun.ca/killick/home/
Faculty of Education
Memorial University of Newfoundland
• SSHRC CURA - 8 studies in total
• Overall goals:
- Build capacity and increase e-learning
research activity
- Facilitate knowledge exchange in e-learning

13. Killick Centre for E-Learning Research
Partners
• The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, Memorial
University
• Distance Education and Learning Technologies, Memorial University
• College of the North Atlantic
• Department of Education, Government of Newfoundland & Labrador
• The Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
• Rural Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland & Labrador
• Eastern School District
• Central School District
• Western School District
• Labrador School District
• Conseil Scolaire Francophone Provincial de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador
• Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils
• Newfoundland &Labrador School Boards Association
• Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association
• Virtual Teacher Centre

14. Student Transition Study
Examine and compare the tertiary education
and workforce transition experiences of students
who take online courses in high school and
students who do not

15. Other Studies
1. Effectiveness of new learning technologies in providing
education to rural and isolated communities (Effectiveness
study)
2. Innovative and Effective Practices in Online Learning
(Classroom Study)
3. OPLC and teacher preparation (New teacher study)
4. Perceptions of distance education in Newfoundland and
Labrador over a ten year period (Historical study)
5. Participation of high school students in the isolated aboriginal
communities of coastal Labrador in web-delivered learning
(Aboriginal study)
6. District leadership for the new learning environment (Leadership
study)
7. Curricula shifts in a digital age (A philosophical inquiry)

16. Objective of Current Study
Compare university students who completed online
courses in high school with university students who
did not:
• assessment of self-regulatory skills
• distance education self-efficacy
• expectations of online distance education
• perception of online course communications
• satisfaction with online courses

17. High School Online Learner Characteristics
• High school online learners are very academically
capable, highly literate, technologically adept
• Highly motivated, self-
disciplined, independent, planning attend university1
• Choice to participate in high school online learning
influenced by a selection factor or selection bias2,3
1Barbour, M. K., & Reeves, T. C. (2009). The reality of virtual schools: A review of the literature. Computers &
Education, 52, 402–416.
2Crocker, R. (2007). Distance learning: Access and outcomes. St. John's, NL: Killick Centre for E-Learning
Research.
3Hannum, W. H., Irvin, M. J., Banks, J. B., & Farmer, T. W. (2009). Distance education use in rural schools. Journal
of Research in Rural Education, 24(3). Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://jrre.psu.edu/articles/24-3.pdf

18. Online Learning in High School
• Some rural students complete courses only available
online
• Some jurisdictions in the U.S. require high school
online course
• Skills development from online learning experience
• High school online learning helps some students
develop skills that facilitate further learning4
4Kirby,D., Sharpe, D., Bourgeois, M., & Greene, M. (2010). Graduates of the new learning environment: A follow-up
study of high school distance e-learners. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 11(3), 161-173.

19. Study: Sample and Participants
• Sample of 160 fourth-year undergraduate students
• 127 successfully contacted/interviewed (response
rate of 79.4%)
• 56 students (44.1%) had completed high school
online courses
• 71 students (55.9%) had not completed high
school online courses
• All students completed one or more university
online courses

20. Study: Survey Instrument
• Self-regulatory skills - 4 items5
• Distance education self-efficacy - 12 items5
• Online self-regulatory learning behaviors6
 Self-evaluation (of learning) - 4 items
 Goal setting - 5 items
 Environment structuring - 4 items
 Time management - 3 items
5Holcomb, L., King, F., & Brown, S. (2004). Student traits and attributes contributing to success in online courses:
Evaluation of university online courses. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 2(3), 1-17.
6Barnard, L., Paton, V., & Lan, W. (2008). Online self-regulatory learning behaviors as a mediator in the relationship
between online course perceptions with achievement. International Review of Research in Open and Distance
Learning, 9(2), 1-11.

21. Study: Survey Instrument
• Student expectations online courses - 7 items7
• Perception of online course communication and
collaboration - 11 items8
• Satisfaction with distance education – 9 items9
7House, L., Weldon, R., & Wysocki, A. (2007). Student perceptions of online distance education in undergraduate
agricultural economic programs. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 39(2), 275-284.
8Barnard, L., Paton, V., & Rose, K. (2007). Perceptions of online course communications and collaboration. Online
Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 10(4), 1-10.
9Walker, S. L. (2005). Development of the Distance Education Learning Environments Survey (DELES) for higher
education. The Texas Journal of Distance Learning, 2(1), 1-16.

22. Data Analysis
Mean Scores
Variable Distance Courses in No Distance Courses Total
High School in High School
Self-Regulation 1.97 1.94 1.95
α=.706
Distance Education 2.16 2.19 2.18
Self-Efficacy α=.880
Self-Evaluation α=.724 2.40 2.54 2.47
Goal Setting α=.820 2.03 2.02 2.03
Environment 1.76 1.81 1.79
Structuring α=.869
Time Management 2.54 2.45 2.49
α=.710

23. Data Analysis
Mean Scores
Variable Distance Courses in No Distance Courses Total
High School in High School
Distance Education 2.68 2.63 2.65
Expectations α=.843
Perception of Distance 2.42 2.59 2.51
Course Comm. and
Collaboration α=.858
Satisfaction with 2.50 2.50 2.50
Distance Education
α=.910

24. Data Analysis
• Groupwise comparisons via ANOVAs:
 no significant differences on any of the composite
measures

25. Discussion
• Self-regulatory learning behaviors, attitudes,
expectations similar across groups
• No evidence that high school online learners were
advantaged or superior to other university
students
• This is contrary to the claims made by some
proponents of online learning at the secondary
level

26. Discussion
• Prior-high school online learning experience does
not necessarily indicate that students:
 are more prepared for distance learning;
 have greater affinity for it; or
 have more developed/superior skills that advantage
them.

27. Your Questions
and Comments

28. Thank you!
Contact:
Michael Barbour: mkbarbour@gmail.com
Dale Kirby: dkirby@mun.ca
Dennis Sharpe: dsharpe@mun.ca