Utilizing online tools to measure effort: Does it really improve student outcome?

This paper tests to see if and how incorporating an online learning tool affects student outcome in a traditionally taught Principles of Macroeconomics class. Outcome is measured by test grade. Participation in online learning is used to measure student effort. Doing online homework assignments is seen as mandatory effort while accessing a website to voluntarily practice non-grade-bearing problems is seen as voluntary effort. The results show that doing well on online homework assignments does not impact test grades. On the other hand students that voluntarily access the website to practice on additional problems are found to do better on tests. While the results imply that increased effort is linked with better outcome it does not definitely show that adding the online component made a significant difference to student outcome.