The impact of computer-based and web-enhanced learning environments on the interaction of instructional elements

Interaction element is one of the elements influencing the learning in e-learning environments. This study aimed to compare the effects of computer-based and web-enhanced learning environments on six elements of interaction (student-student, student-teacher, student-content, teacher-teacher, teacher-content and content-content) in the process of Occupational Health course.The study was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design with a control group. The population of the study included all students of Public Health at Asadabad Faculty of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2015-2016. Of these, 60 students were selected through a random sampling procedure and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (30 per group). The first group (control) was taught in a computer-  based and the second one (experimental) was taught in a web-enhanced learning environment. The materials and instruments included instructional multimedia and the questionnaire of assessing six levels of interaction with 60 questions in likert scale. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the gathered data. The results showed that there were significant differences between computer-based and web-enhanced learning environments on six elements of interaction (p<0.05). In other words, web-enhanced learning environment is more effective on the six interaction elements in comparison to computer-based learning environment.