The Effectiveness of Computer-Based Adult Education: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

A meta-analysis of findings from twenty-four controlled evaluations showed that computer-based education (CBE) usually has positive effects on adult learners. CBE raised the examination scores of such students by 0.42 standard deviations in the average study—a moderate-size but statistically significant effect. Two study features appeared to be related to the size of achievement effect reported in the studies: type of use of CBE and publication source for the studies. CBE also reduced substantially the amount of time needed for instruction. Reliable conclusions could not be reached about affective or long-term cognitive effects of CBE because of the small number of studies that investigated such effects.