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ERIC Number: ED466488
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2002-Feb
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
NovaNET, 2000-2001: Analyses of Student Outcomes Relative to a Comparison Group. Eye on Evaluation. E&R Report.
Harlow, Kristin; Baenen, Nancy
NovaNET is an online computerized instructional system that provides students with self-paced instruction for many North Carolina high school courses. This evaluation looks at outcomes for students participating in the NovaNET program and compares them with outcomes for a group of students with similar characteristics who did not participate in NovaNET. The comparison group could not be matched exactly with respect to grade point average (GPA); therefore, some caution should be used in interpreting results. The primary positive finding was that the number of failing grades decreased significantly for students who particpated in NovaNET, while a slight increase occurred for matched students. The GPA for NovaNET students showed a significant increase, but the comparison group increased about the same amount (differences between increases were not significant). NovaNET appeared to have more of a positive impact on mathematics and social studies course grades than on English and science course grades. The pass rate of NovaNET science courses was only 50%. NovaNET did not appear to impact suspensions in the 2000-2001 school year; rates for NovaNET and matched students were statistically similar. NovaNET students were more likely to drop out of school in the 2000-2001 school year than the comparison students who had a lower dropout rate than WCPSS overall. The change in dropout rates should be examined again over the next few years. It is possible that NovaNET participants were different from students in the comparison rate in important ways. Overall, NovaNET seems to help students pass classes. However, more specific findings are difficult to obtain because of the newness of the program and the difficulty of creating an accurately matched comparison group. In addition, the cost of the program should be considered when weighing the benefits. (Author/SLD)
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Wake County Public School System, Raleigh, NC. Dept. of Evaluation and Research.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A