Literature Review

There are numerous clear theoretical advantages of online instructional methods. Firstly, such methods provide for flexible learning, meaning that the student can progress at his or her own pace; secondly, such methods provide the facility for student centred learning, making the student responsible for his/her own learning. Finally, implementing online methods of instruction, means that material can be made available on demand from anywhere at any time provided the learner has the facility for taking advantage of such a system.

A variety of different online learning paradigms are now being utilised across higher education and therefore it would now seem timely to evaluate such systems in terms of their effectiveness. Three online methods are utilised in this paper. These are a literature search, an online discussion and an online assessment system. These three methods were chosen as being representative of the types of tasks students typically engage in through the medium of e-learning. It is also suggested that individual difference factors such as attitudes towards computer-based learning and cognitive learning style may be relevant to include in this investigation. The rationale for this is given below in sections 1.2 to 1.4. However, firstly a description of cognitive style is given.