We have collected data on students’ performance and their weekly homework activities for eight years in several classes. Specifically we have considered the first algebra based introductory physics course. We have data on weekly activities of students since 1997. Every week homework assignments have been given to students in this class and later collected and then graded. We have basically kept the same office hours for students that were seeking assistance. Because of various reasons, we see only a certain percentage of students looking for help during our regular office hours. This year for the first time we used Blackboard to accomplish the same task. As a result, we have data to compare the effect of one of the electronic medium, i.e. Blackboard, to the usual way that this program was conducted in the past eight years. Using the communication capabilities in Blackboard, we have emailed the students the list of problems and their due date every Thursday and also made it available in the announcement section of the Backboard.
