A Comparison of Using the Internet versus Lectures to Teach Social Work History

Objective This study's goal was to determine the effectiveness of using the Internet as a primary teaching method. Method Introduction to Social Work students in three different class sections were taught social work history using three different teaching methods. One class section was taught using traditional lecture and discussion, a second was taught through a self-directed Internet assignment, and a third was taught using a combination of the Internet assignment and classroom discussion. A pretest and a posttest were administered to each class section to evaluate learning. Results Contrary to preresearch expectations, it was found that students stated a preference for teacher contact over Internet instruction and performed better on a posttest when taught through traditional lectures than when taught through the Internet. Conclusion Using Internet-only instruction may not be the most effective way to teach students about social work.