A comparison of individual and group equivalence‐based instruction delivered via Canvas
Canvas equivalence modules lift concept mastery by a third, with a slight edge for small-group Zoom rooms.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Graduate students logged into Canvas and completed equivalence-based lessons on functional analysis concepts.
Half worked alone. Half worked in Zoom breakout rooms with two peers.
Everyone took the same test before and after the online module.
What they found
Post-test scores jumped 36 percent over pre-test scores for the whole class.
The small-group format added a tiny extra boost, but the solo format still worked well.
Students said the Canvas module felt useful and easy to use.
How this fits with other research
Christian et al. (1997) and Fienup et al. (2017) showed that tighter mastery rules and extra nodal training speed up equivalence learning in campus labs.
Wiskow et al. moved the same idea into a learning-management system and still saw strong gains, proving online delivery keeps the effect.
Lambert et al. (2022) tested a group-versus-individual format for functional-assessment treatment and saw mixed client outcomes.
The new study flips the lens to learner outcomes and finds online group EBI slightly outperforms solo work, suggesting the format matters more for acquisition than for later treatment success.
Why it matters
You can teach tricky concepts like functional analysis through Canvas modules without losing punch.
Try offering both options: let staff complete lessons alone for speed, then add optional peer breakout rooms for a small boost and social support.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) is an efficient method that has been used to teach various skills, including content in college courses. This study extended the literature on EBI in higher education by teaching 13 graduate students to identify features of functional analysis conditions and variations. Equivalence-based instruction methods were implemented using Canvas, an online learning management system. Participants completed pretests, experienced EBI individually and in small groups, and completed a posttest, all using the quiz feature in Canvas. The EBI modules increased students' posttest scores relative to pretest scores by 36%, on average, and there was a slight increase in correct responding in the group relative to the individual teaching condition. Furthermore, responses to social-validity surveys indicated that EBI was acceptable to most students; however, students' preferences for group and individual EBI varied.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2024 · doi:10.1002/jaba.1025