Think or click? Student preference for overt vs. covert responding in web-based instruction

Abstract This study investigated student preference for overt vs. covert responding in a web-based tutorial using a within-subject design. Twenty-six social psychology students were exposed to the same two treatment conditions: covert question format (which required passive responding—“thinking” about an answer) and overt question format (which required active responding—“clicking” on an answer). The majority of students preferred the overt format. There was a small difference in mean times to complete covert and overt questions. A negative relationship was found between the degree of preference for overt questions and the percent of overt questions answered correctly, and between the total time taken to complete the program and the percent of overt questions answered correctly. Findings lend support to integrating high levels of responding in web-based instruction due to high user preference.