Search

This study investigated demographic, personality, and attitude differences between students enrolled in online courses and students enrolled in traditional, lecture courses. Subjects were 120 education majors enrolled in required Master's of Education core courses. Students enrolled in either online (n=51) or traditional course format (n=69) during summer and fall semesters 2001. The two groups of students were compared on an author-designed questionnaire assessing students' demographic characteristics and attitudes toward both online and traditional instruction and the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Analysis indicated high demographic and interpersonal similarity between students enrolled in online course formats and students enrolled in traditional, face-to-face course formats. Significant differences in attitude were found between the two groups; online courses were rated higher by online students but viewed with considerable ambivalence by students enrolled in traditional section courses.

Few standardized instruments measure attitudes and beliefs towards substance abuse. The Substance Abuse Attitude Survey, developed for measuring drug attitudes in medical education, was administered to 598 college undergraduates, and a factor analysis was performed. Three coherent and stable factors were identified, e.g., Stereotypes and Moralism, Treatment, and Permissiveness. Internal consistency and 6-wk. test-retest measures indicated moderate to high reliability factor structure. Results are discussed in terms of sample differences between this effort and a previous validation.

Personality profiles of education majors were compared using the California Psychological Inventory and Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. Discriminant analyses indicated significant differences on selected scales for men (n = 50) and women (n = 112) and for those interested in elementary and secondary teaching. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to the future teaching activities of education majors.