An Exploratory Study into the Efficacy of Learning Objects

Summary of research article written by Nicholas W. Farha of Indiana State University.

Learning Objects are digital lessons that can be re-used and linked into longer courses within any learning management system. They have been a fundamental element of e-learning for many years (especially in corporate training settings); however most training professionals believe that the benefit of digital learning objects is purely one of cost savings and efficiency. There is little evidence to support a better learning result between digital lessons and traditional lessons using lectures and textbooks. However, the results of this study support the possibility that digital learning objects can produce a better learning outcome.

The researcher conducted an exploratory study that included over 300 undergraduate students in four different college institutions. A lesson in accounting was prepared in both a traditional format and as a digital learning object. Both the control and experimental groups were given the same assessment which included several problems to be solved in a spreadsheet application. The experimental group performed significantly better on this test. The researcher also analyzed demographic data on the participants to look for possible trends between various groups such as age, gender, learning style, previous experience in the content area, and amount of time spent playing computer games. He found no significant difference in performance between these groups.

Although the results of this study seem exciting for the potential strength of e-learning, more study is needed to support the idea that digital learning objects produce better learning results than traditional teaching methods. The researcher admits that numerous similar studies across many different subject areas, age groups and learning institutions would be required, but I am not sure a viable conclusion could be made after any amount of similar studies. The problem in a study like this is that there is really no way to ensure that the quality of the lessons used for the control and experimental groups are truly on the same level. There is a broad range of instructional methods and teaching styles that are possible in both "traditional" instruction and in the design of learning objects. A poorly designed learning object stacked up against a great teacher using a textbook would likely show very different results.