Faculty Perceptions of Web-Based Course Efficacy

The efficacy of web-based course materials is a growing concern because an increasing proportion of course materials are being delivered via web resources. Some of the materials are being developed by faculty and some by other entities such as textbook publishers. The effectiveness of web-based course materials is important because of its increasing use. “Distance learning” research has been used as a proxy for attesting the efficacy of web-based course materials. However, those studies are frequently based upon synchronous learning at a distance where mechanisms such as TV image transmission is used. Also, the technological savvy of students in such distance learning courses may impact their ability to learn from the materials. These issues suggest that research specifically on web-based course resource efficacy should be performed. The persons with the greatest knowledge about web-based course resource efficacy are the faculty who have used such materials. Faculty perceptions of efficacy are an indirect but important measure.