Web-based Strategies for Improving Undergraduate Commitment to Learning

Students need a variety of ways to encourage them to learn. Web-based learning can provide a platform for achieving this in a variety of ways other than the simple provision of "flat" lecture notes. This paper describes a number of Web-based programs used to augment, rather than replace, traditional, face-to-face delivery of a pharmaceutical microbiology module to second year undergraduates on a 4-year "MPharm" course. The paper reports feedback from three cohorts of students. Experience of delivering this module over three academic sessions suggests that using Web-based learning to augment traditional face-to-face teaching was successful, both for the tutor and for the students. The Web site was well used, and student performance in and commitment to the module was enhanced, as judged by the feedback questionnaires, attendance at classes and by achievement in assessments. It was clear from the student behavior that, like many tutors, students find it difficult to shed the "hard copy habit," and feel the need to print out most of the Web pages. This has implications for the support provided for them to do this. The amount of Web-based learning that-is expected of students needs to be carefully judged to avoid "screen fatigue" among them. (AEF) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Web-based Strategies for Improving Undergraduate Commitment to Learning PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY