ERIC Number: EJ728902
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 18
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-1523
EISSN: N/A
Factors that Influence Participation in Online Learning
Vonderwell, Selma; Zachariah, Sajit
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, v38 n2 p213-230 Win 2005
This study explored what factors influenced learner participation in two sections of a graduate online course at a Midwestern university. Findings indicated that online learner participation and patterns of participation are influenced by the following factors: technology and interface characteristics, content area experience, student roles and instructional tasks, and information overload. Effective online learning requires interdependence for a shared understanding of learning goals in a learning community. Monitoring student participation and patterns of participation closely can help instructors identify student needs and scaffold learning accordingly. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Student Participation, Online Courses, Graduate Study, Influences, Learning Motivation, Graduate Students, Educational Technology, Inservice Teacher Education, Technology Planning, Discussion (Teaching Technique), Computer Literacy, Questionnaires, Computer Mediated Communication, Student Role
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), 480 Charnelton St, Eugene, OR 97401-2626. Tel: 800-336-5191 or 541-302-3777; Fax: 541-302-3778; e-mail: iste@iste.org; Web site: http://www.iste.org.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A