Relationship between learning outcomes and online accesses

This paper reports on a study carried out in Thailand investigating the relationship between students' use of an e-learning system and their learning outcomes in a course on Business Statistics. The results show a clear relationship between accesses to the e-learning system, as measured by number of "hits", and outcomes, as measured by final results. While the results do not establish a direct casual connection, they indicate that under appropriate conditions a component of online study provides significant benefits to learning. In this, it contrasts with the results of recent studies that find no relationship between access and results. Quotes taken from interviews with some of the students illuminate the relationship between the online learning environment and their own learning.