The study found no significant differences in achievement between online and traditional students. However, online students had higher dropout rates early in the semester due to technology hurdles, while attrition was more gradual for in-person students. Potential reasons for higher online attrition included students not adjusting to self-paced learning, courses being more rigorous than anticipated, and a lack of experience with the online format among both students and faculty.

1. No significant differences
Title:
A Comparative Analysis of Online and Traditional Education
Settings
Purpose:
This comparative study examines online and traditional educational
settings for high schools, university learners and business organization.
There has been a recent trend toward the replacement of traditional
classrooms with web-based learning opportunities.
Audience:
High school students
Finding:
There is an ongoing concern regarding student success and dropout rates
for online students. Researcher Ryan (2002) found that “currently
distance students have higher dropout rates than classroom students” (p.
7). Kleinman and Entin conducted a study comparing attrition data
gathered from online and traditional courses. Data indicated no
significant differences between the two groups in achievement. However,
“the technology hurdle was responsible for a large drop in enrollment
within the first few weeks of the semester for the online students, whereas
for the in-class students, the attrition was lower and more gradual” (2002,
p. 1). A study conducted by Terry (2001) at West Texas A&M University
found potential explanations for higher attrition rates included “students
not being able to adjust to the self-paced approach in the virtual format,
the rigor of study being more difficult than students anticipated, and a
lack of student and faculty experience with the instruction mode” (¶ 5).
Using online learning strategies with high school students provides them
with flexibility of when and where they take needed courses, which may
lead to fewer dropouts. The schools can also expand their curriculums to
accommodate a larger population. Another upside to online learning for
high schools is it may provide a cost-reduction strategy for students that
arehome bound for a medical condition. Currently, many states fund

2. teachers visiting homebound learners to preclude them from missing too
much class and failing.
Better with technology
Title:
INFLUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY ON
LEARNING AND PERSISTENCE OF TRIBAL COLLEGE
STUDENTS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Purpose:
Waxman, Lin, and Michko (2003) indicated that when compared to
traditional instruction, the use of technology integration into the
traditional learning environment has a positive effect on students’
learning outcomes.
Audience
community college students
finding:
Data analyses established that there were no significant differences
between the experimental group and the control group at the beginning of
the current research study, but indicated that there were significant
differences between the two groups, after the administration of the
experimental treatment, leading to the rejection of the first and second
null hypotheses, HO1 and HO2. In the control group, 31 students
received only traditional classroom instruction and in the experimental
group, 30 students received both traditional classroom instruction and
instructional technology continuously throughout the duration of the
study. The control and experimental groups were compared on learning
outcomes measured by posttest scores and persistence measured by
attendance.