Method

Because the resources reside on the web (via a campus server), it is relatively easy to monitor the use patterns of particular resources. Web resource use was monitored via the university's mainframe server software and reported daily.

Unfortunately, there are a number of problems with this type of monitoring. For example, while it was feasible to program use by individual web pages, university policy prohibited this kind of data collection. The daily report listed only the most frequently used directories of web pages. This prohibited tracking individual pages, e.g. "Chapter 1 Sample Test" which might not show up on the daily report until it was being heavily used. As a result, a larger directory was chosen that would demonstrate the fluctuation of "hits" over the course of the term.

An additional problem is the interpretation of the number of "hits" recorded in a directory each day. On the one hand, the number of "hits" may overestimate the request for the page because it often includes embedded graphs or pictures as additional "hits" that were necessary to load the page. On the other hand, individual page activity is also underestimated in that web pages are typically "cached" on the user's hard drive. For generally routine users of the course web resources or on heavily used campus laboratory computers, the total of number of times a given page is requested can be grossly underestimated.

As a result, the collected data is a relatively gross reflection of use patterns rather than a direct and accurate assessment of use. Data was collected daily for winter and spring quarters of 1997.

Results

Patterns of highest use clustered around course lecture days. Use was lowest on Friday and Saturday.

Consistent with traditional course resource utilization, there was a significant linear relationship between use and number of days left to the exam, r=-.44, p<.001. The use of the web resources increased dramatically in the few days preceding the examination for both terms, r=.82, p=.0001 (test of the relationship between use and the reciprocal number of days left to the exam )². The most frequent usage was the day before the exam.

Discussion

Students appeared to be using web resources in the same manner that they use traditional resources. The medium appears to be irrelevant to use pattern. Web course resources may have an advantage for students who use course resources during the few days before the exam. They have an easy to use and integrated set of tools to effectively review (or learn for the first time) course material. Students report (Slem & Schultz, 1997) that the course web resources were particularly useful for preparing for examinations.

The dramatic increased use of the web resources just before the exam requires great confidence on the access to and reliability of the web server. A hardware malfunction would have significant effects on students who are relying on the availability of the web resources during the few days before an exam. For classes using small web servers, these results suggests that greater peak demand may pose challenges for the capabilities of their servers.

1995 Study of Student Study Skills. (1995). Funding For Results Program, Missouri Western State College. Retrieved March 30, 1998 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mwsc.edu/~ffr/95survey.html

Senecal, C,, Koesner, R. & Vallerand, R. (1995) Self-regulation and academic procrastination. The Journal of Social Psychology. 135 (5) 607-619.

Slem, C. and Schultz, N. (1997). Psychology educational technology resources: The Web Wiz Project. Psychology and Human Development Department, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo: http://www.fmdc.calpoly.edu/libarts/cslem/Wizdemo/splash.html

Solomon, L, & Rothbulum, E. (1884). Academic procrastination: Frequency and cognitive-behavioral correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 31, 503-509.

²Thanks to Professor Gary Laver, Cal Poly, for suggesting this analysis.

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