We report the results of a comparison of student understanding of physics concepts with and without online homework, as measured by the force concept inventory. We compared students in large introductory courses taught by interactive engagement and noninteractive engagement methods and with ungraded homework and with online homework. We also compared the understanding of students in different grade subgroups. The increase in the average force concept inventory normalized gain was statistically significant for all students taught with online homework, indicating that graded homework increases student understanding of physics concepts. The gain was significantly higher for those students taught with interactive engagement methods together with online homework. The C grade subgroup taught by interactive engagement methods benefited more from the implementation of online homework than the other subgroups.

Topics
Education
1.
AIP Statistics Division, Enrollments and Degrees Report, “First-year U.S. and foreign graduate physics students, 1965 to 1999,” American Institute of Physics, 〈www.aip.org/statistics/trends/highlite/ed/figure5.htm〉.
2.
At other universities represented by the authors, there are a sufficient number of TA’s, but insufficient funds to pay them.
3.
D.
Hestenes
,
M.
Wells
, and
G.
Swackhamer
, “
Force concept inventory
,”
Phys. Teach.
30
,
141
–
157
(
1992
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
I. A.
Halloun
and
D.
Hestenes
, “
Common-sense concepts about motion
,”
Am. J. Phys.
53
,
1056
–
1065
(
1985
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
5.
E. Mazur, Peer Instruction (Prentice–Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 1997), pp. 9–18.
6.
WEBCT, 〈www.webct.com〉, is a Web Shell with several built-in telecommunication modules and numerous features for course management used by both the student and the instructor.
7.
R. R.
Hake
, “
Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses
,”
Am. J. Phys.
66
,
64
–
74
(
1998
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
8.
George A. Ferguson, Statistical Analysis in Psychology and Education (McGraw–Hill, N.Y., 1971), pp. 107–119.
9.
D. MacIsaac, R. P. Cole, D. M. Cole, L. McCullough, and J. Maxka, “Standardized testing in physics via the World Wide Web,” Electronic Journal of Science Education 6(3) March 2002 (http://unr.edu/homepage/crowther/ejse/ejsev6n3.html).
10.
W. T.
Griffith
, “
Factors affecting performance in introductory physics courses
,”
Am. J. Phys.
53
(
9
),
839
–
842
(
1985
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
11.
M. J.
Marr
,
E. W.
Thomas
,
M. R.
Benne
,
A.
Thomas
, and
R. M.
Hume
, “
Development of instructional systems for teaching and electricity and magnetism course
,”
Am. J. Phys.
67
(
9
),
789
–
802
(
1999
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
S.
Bonham
and
R.
Beichner
, “
Online homework: Does it make a difference?
”
Phys. Teach.
39
(
5
),
293
–
297
(
2001
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
13.
R.
Dufresne
,
J.
Mestre
,
D. M.
Hart
, and
K. A.
Rath
, “
The effect of web-based homework on test performance in large enrollment introductory physics courses
,”
J. Comput. Math. Sci. Teach.
 
21
(
3
),
229
–
251
(
2002
).
Google Scholar
 
14.
M.
Thoennessen
and
M. J.
Harrison
, “
Computer-assisted assignments in a large physics class
,”
Comput. Educ.
 
27
(
2
),
141
–
147
(
1996
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
15.
P. E.
Sokol
, “
Improvements in introductory physics courses. Emphasizing homework and deemphasizing exams can make quantum improvements in learning
,”
New Dir. Instit. Res.
 
20
(
78
),
41
–
44
(
1993
).
Google Scholar
 
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2004 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2004
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.