The effects of student-instructor interaction and paired/ individual study on achievement in computer-based training (CBT)

College business statistics students (N=84) participated in a spreadsheet CBT tutorial. Noncontent related students-instructor interaction (present/absent) was studied in two learning settings: individual study and paired study. Student-instructor interaction led to higher achievement in the individual setting. However, when subjects studied in pairs, instructor interaction was less influential. The lowest scoring subjects were those who studied individually and who received no instructor interactions. The results demonstrate that what the instructor does, and how the students are arranged can affect achievement in CBT.