Abstract
Recently, many cram schools for Civil Servant Examination have introduced e-learning for distance education, but only by segmenting recorded videos of traditional classroom as online materials. However, their materials are not properly designed for adult learners. Different from full-time, young learners in school, adult learners enact multiple roles and thus have only limited time and effort. Therefore, inappropriate online learning materials are more likely to have negative effects on cognitive loads and learning effectiveness. This study aimed to re-design and re-develop online learning materials, particularly for adult learners, to improve the deficiency of current online materials. Using design-based research, the current study adopted Gao & Jian’s (2007) study procedure. In the analysis phase, we conducted a learners and content specialists’ needs analysis as a basis for material development. After its first implementation, we adopted re-designing suggestions from learners and e-learning specialists. In the second phase, we conducted a quasi-experiment to explore effects of signaling and segmenting principles on learning effectiveness, cognitive loads, and material usability in online learning materials. Our conclusion and implications shed light on the academy’s e-learning project. This study’s content unit is “Needs” in Microeconomics. After the iterative design, the second phase included 64 adult learners at an online academy in northern Taiwan. Participants were randomly assigned to three treatment groups and one control group. Treatment group A received online materials with both signaling and segmenting principles, while treatments B and C received materials with signaling and segmenting, respectively. The control group received online materials without signaling and segmenting. After analysis by ANCOVA, ANOVA, and paired and independent T-tests, results were as follows: Group A was superior to the other groups. Material usability in group A was higher than in the other groups, while learning effectiveness was significantly higher than in groups B and C. However, groups A and C did not differ significantly. The cognitive load in group A was lower than in group B and the control group, but, again, groups A and C did not differ significantly. Robustness testing found that the learning effectiveness of low achievers (prior knowledge) showed significant improvement. However, learning effectiveness using materials with and without the signaling principle showed no significant difference. As for the segmenting principle, higher achievers’ learning effectiveness showed significant differences in using material with the signaling principle, but no significant differences without it. Lower achievers’ learning effectiveness showed significant differences in both learning effectiveness and in using materials with and without the segmenting principle. Based on these results, online materials for adult learners with the segmenting principle are beneficial to learning effectiveness, cognitive loads, and material usability. Online materials with the signaling principle demonstrated no significant benefits to learning effectiveness and cognitive loads, but did have positive effects on material usability. Our results could be a valuable reference for research and development of online courses and academies initiating e-learning.