The use of interactive web-based teaching materials has become an indelible feature of the educational landscape over the last decade especially for technical subjects such as engineering and mathematics. While web-based simulations present great opportunity to provide students with the feedback needed for the acquisition of new concepts, it has been demonstrated that even small network delays can adversely affect the pedagogical efficacy of these simulations. In the present work a longitudinal study is performed to examine the effects of network delay on learning as student's progress from freshmen to senior year. Findings indicate that by the time students have progressed to their senior year, they have taken on a more conservative learning style and that their learning style is less sensitive to network delays than it was when they were freshmen. The study suggests that the accumulation of experience is an important factor in mitigating the effects of network delay on learning.