On the Impact of Homework Format in an Elementary Statistics Course

This study compared online and written homework in an Elementary Statistics course with respect to student outcomes and opinions. Two instructors taught two sections each, one with online homework and one with written homework. There were no significant differences between homework formats for grades on exams and quizzes or on an embedded explanation question, although the mean homework grade for sections with online homework was significantly higher (uncorrected for multiple comparisons). Student survey results had a higher mean rating for written homework than online, indicating a more positive opinion towards written homework. Student feedback was synthesized to contextualize these results.