ERIC Number: EJ1134532
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Jul
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1931-4744
EISSN: N/A
"It's Just Nice Having a Real Teacher": Student Perceptions of Online versus Face-to-Face Instruction
Tichavsky, Lisa P.; Hunt, Andrea N.; Driscoll, Adam; Jicha, Karl
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, v9 n2 Article 2 Jul 2015
With recent increases in online enrollment, undergraduate students are far more likely to experience an online learning environment than they were in the past. While existing literature provides general insight into reasons why students may or may not prefer online instruction, it is unclear whether these preferences are shaped by students' perceptions of online learning or actual experience with online courses. To address this gap, undergraduate students enrolled in either online (n = 370) or face-to-face (n = 360) courses were surveyed about their course format preference. A content analysis of the responses was performed with the findings suggesting that (1) student perceptions may be based on old typologies of distance education akin to correspondence courses, regardless of actual experience with online courses, and (2) course preferences are related to issues involving teaching presence and self-regulated learning. The implications of this research for developing more effective online pedagogy are discussed.
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Undergraduate Students, Online Courses, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Student Surveys, Content Analysis, Interpersonal Relationship, Interaction, Teaching Methods, Student Motivation, Familiarity
Centers for Teaching & Technology at Georgia Southern University. IJ-SoTL, Georgia Southern University, Henderson Library 1301, Statesboro, GA 30460. e-mail: sotlij@georgiasouthern.edu; Web site: http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A