March 10, 2000

Online Psychology Instruction Is Effective, but Not Satisfying, Study Finds

By SARAH CARR

Undergraduates enrolled in introductory psychology perform better in distance-education courses, but are generally less happy with them, according to a study by Ruth S. and William S. Maki, two psychology professors at Texas Tech University.

The professors, who are married, have offered a Web-based and a traditional version of an introductory-psychology course for the past five semesters. At the end of the courses, they and other researchers compared students'