The effectiveness and studies of e-learning in Taiwan: A review and synthesis of 2000-2011 research literature

The purpose of this study was to review and synthesize the research literature on e-learning in Taiwan. In total, 86 journal articles and theses/dissertations, which quasi-experimental research methods were utilized in and included in three major domestic and international electronic databases between the years 2000-2011, were selected for review and synthesis. The purest synthesis method of synthesizing multiple areas with single method was employed to investigate the research literature. It is found that the quasi-experimental research studies and the effectiveness of e-learning in 2000-2011 in Taiwan are as follows: (1) Learning areas or subjects focus on formal sciences; (2) The researches are mainly done in the university/colleges primarily preparing school teachers; (3) The main subjects in descending order of frequency selected by studies are elementary school students, junior high school students, and senior/vocational high school students; (4) The most experimental teaching durations are between 101 and 300 minutes; (5) Motivation, learning environment, and technological capability are the three issues mostly concerned about; (6) Learning effectiveness are mainly argued from the two starting viewpoints, learning or technology; (7) Teaching theory focus on Piaget and Vygotsky perspectives of cognitive construction; and (8) The learning domains in descending order of instructional effectiveness investigation are cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.