Providing content by Web -based delivery methods: Using digital video, instructor -selected Websites, and search engines, to deliver information about the principles of behaviorism

Currently, the social work literature demonstrates that students can learn on-line when the Internet is used. What was lacking was a comparative study that investigated which technologies students were willing to adopt. The current research indicates that, in general, students are satisfied with the delivery of content on-line. The goal of this research was to compare three delivery techniques: on-line video, a reading list (a collection of Websites on a topic), and a search engine.;Constructivist theory hypothesizes that students are responsible for their own construction of knowledge. Knowledge construction occurs when students either integrate new content into their existing understandings or change their existing understanding to accommodate novel understanding. Constructivist theory predicts that students will construct knowledge from the different methods, but differences may occur due to students' involvement in the different methods.;The findings of this study indicate that all three delivery methods were able to facilitate knowledge construction at some level. The three groups varied significantly on the time they spent and how students were able to apply knowledge. Within the video group, participants had significantly different mean scores on a task to apply their newly acquired knowledge. The participants in the reading list group and the search engine group spent vastly different amounts to time constructing or developing their understanding of the material. Several variables, such as attitudes, perception of learning, time spent with delivery technique, and satisfaction, did have some influence on the students' knowledge construction. Ultimately, benefits and advantages for all the delivery techniques emerged. Open-ended comments made by the students, and personal observations made by he study's author, indicated that several guidelines are required to facilitate the use of on-line video, the reading list, and a search engine.