Web-Based Tutorials: Does Course Use Differ From General Use?

Abstract

Ohio State University Libraries' net.TUTOR program provides Web-based instruction on various aspects of using the Internet for research. Data extracted from 465 user history logs was analyzed to determine patterns of usage of the net.TUTOR tutorials by course-affiliated and general users during the 1997-1998 academic year. The tutorials include lessons, quizzes, and supplementary features. General users were more likely to view only the lesson portions of the tutorials, skipping quizzes. Course-affiliated users, who were required to submit quiz scores, skipped the lessons preceding those quizzes almost 40% of the time. Changing the method of quiz scoring encouraged more students to view lessons before taking quizzes. Fifteen percent of both groups used all available portions of tutorials. General users also spent almost twice as much time as students on tutorials. Of course-affiliated users, students in upper division courses spent more time than those in lower division courses on almost all lessons in the program.