Community College Students Taking Online Courses: The Student Point-of-View

dc.contributor.authorHarbeck, Julia Dedrichen
dc.contributor.committeechairMagliaro, Susan G.en
dc.contributor.committeememberNespor, Jan K.en
dc.contributor.committeememberWilkinson, Thomas W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberScales, Glenda R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberMoore, David M.en
dc.contributor.departmentInstructional Technologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:07:09Zen
dc.date.adate2001-02-14en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:07:09Zen
dc.date.issued2001-01-24en
dc.date.rdate2002-02-14en
dc.date.sdate2001-02-05en
dc.description.abstractThis study is a qualitative examination of community college students' experiences taking on-line courses. The study addresses the research question, "How do community college students construct their on-line experiences?" In order to answer this question, the following foci were examined: What are the characteristics of students taking online courses?, Why are they taking on-line courses?, What are facilitative or debilitative dimensions or features that promote or inhibit success in on-line courses?, and, How does the community college infrastructure support students taking web-based courses? The results of the study were grouped into 4 categories: Interpersonal Support, Student Characteristics, Course Issues, and Infrastructure Support. All but 2 of the findings of the PRCC Study are supported by research. The first factor not mentioned in the literature is that some students choose to take a course on-line if they are not interested in the content of the class. The second finding not implicated in the research is that electronic distractions of Instant Messaging™ and the lure of surfing the Web seem to be more debilitating than interruptions from other sources such as family and work. Other implications of this study involve concerns that are common to both on-line and on-site instruction, as well as the connection between constructivism and on-line learning. Facilitative and debilitative dimensions or features that promote or inhibit success in on-line courses imply that faculty and institutions need to be adapting to the demands of teaching and learning on the Web. Implications of the Study examine improvements to the study and ideas for future research.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.identifier.otheretd-02052001-164701en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-02052001-164701/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/26119en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartfinaletd.pdfen
dc.relation.haspartvitae2_5.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectdistance learningen
dc.subjectonline learningen
dc.subjectonline student characteristicsen
dc.subjectweb-based learningen
dc.subjectdistance educationen
dc.subjectdistance learning infrastructure supporten
dc.subjectweb-based instructionen
dc.subjectonline instructionen
dc.subjectcommunity collegeen
dc.titleCommunity College Students Taking Online Courses: The Student Point-of-Viewen
dc.typeDissertationen
thesis.degree.disciplineInstructional Technologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
finaletd.pdf
Size:
754.9 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
vitae2_5.pdf
Size:
19.44 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format