Researching Student Perceptions of and Experiences with Alternative Learning Technologies Replacing Traditional Tutorials with i>clicker Tutorials and Online Tutorials

The researchers invited university students enrolled in two different offerings of a large introductory course which had recently transitioned from traditional tutorials to student response system (i>clicker) tutorials, four different offerings of two courses which had recently transitioned from traditional tutorials to online tutorials, plus two different upper division courses which continued to employ traditional tutorials to participate in an online survey regarding their experiences with traditional tutorials, fully online tutorials, and tutorials that employed student response systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate student perceptions of and experiences with alternative learning technologies, and to determine whether these alternative technologies improved learning outcomes when compared to more traditional teaching methods. This paper reports on the design and implementation of the i>clicker and online tutorials, the design and administration of the online survey, and strategies employed to enhance student participation in the survey. While there was no measurable difference in terms of learning outcomes, the survey results indicate that students prefer online tutorials over i>clicker and traditional tutorials, and that there is generally a high level of student satisfaction when it comes to alternative learning technologies. The researchers were able to identify which facets of traditional, i>clicker and online tutorials the students found most appealing (and/or useful), and which facets they did not find appealing and/or useful.