Students Perception of Distance Learning - Research Paper Example

perceptions on distance learning programs AFFILIATION: Introduction The main objective of this research is to identify the image or perception held by the students about the distance learning programs. The study revealed some major areas of improvement which might be beneficial for the program developers, experts of the distance learning program field and students enrolled in the programs. Literature Review In the last few years, there has been an increase in distance learning programs as their main purpose is to meet the growing demands of off-campus students who either want to acquire competitive qualification online (Babb, Steward & Johnson, 2010; Hostetter & Bush, 2006) or have desire of obtaining the higher education while carrying on with their jobs (Barnard, Paton & Rose, 2007; Stavroulia & Psychari, 2010). According to Wise and Rothman (2010), these programs ensure easy access to high level education for those students who are unable to continue traditional learning program either because of employment problems, travelling issues, lack of sufficient funds for financing traditional education and family responsibilities. In order to determine the effectiveness of the distance learning programs, it is vital for the colleges and universities to gather sufficient data about the students’ perceptions of distance learning programs (Bukaliya & Musika, 2011). The students’ perceptions about distance learning programs have been studied by many researchers to identify the driving forces that motivate the students to get enrolled in these online programs (Borstroff & Lowe, 2007; Wang et al., 2008). Some researchers determined the advantages and disadvantages of the distance learning programs as perceived by the students and teachers (Conaway, Easton & Schmidt, 2005; Stavroulia & Psychar, 2010). According to the study of Spatariu, Quinn, and Hartley (2007), it was found that teachers who have expertise in handling technologies involved in distance learning programs have a positive attitude towards these studies. However, various teachers believe that distance learning programs have low level of education as compared to traditional programs (Babb, Stewart & Johnson, 2011). On the other hand, majority of the students who have acquired education via distance learning programs are satisfied with the entire curriculum and it has helped them in saving huge amount of money and time (Jackson & Helms, 2008). One drawback of this program is that the skills developed by means of this program are less polished than those developed in face-to-face interaction based classes. Sometimes, the students face difficulty in understanding technical concepts as the conversation between student and the instructor is limited in virtual studies (Grant & Thornton, 2007). Initially, there were only selective degrees offered in distance learning programs; presently, all degrees offered by top-ranked universities and colleges are now available on these virtual platforms and they have eased the lives of students to a great extent (Bukaliya & Musika, 2011). Research Methodology The nature of the research is both qualitative and quantitative as the topic is vast and there are no concrete definitions available for the concepts that are being studied i.e. students’ perceptions and distance learning programs. Since the human factors are being studied, it is important that after gathering sufficient theoretical knowledge, the respondent’s opinions are analysed as well. Most of the data will be collected through primary research; however, some secondary research is also conducted to design the research strategy. Therefore, the underlying philosophy of the research is descriptive survey and a detailed analysis of all the quantitative and qualitative philosophies is carried out to develop the best approach for the research. The research approach will be deductive and it is selected to make sure that top down approach is followed. In order to test the validity of variables identified, the questionnaire will be designed in a way that all relevant variables are studied through the survey. One of the most effective and popular ways of collecting any important data are the surveys; the primary objective of a survey is to gather data about various aspects of the individuals such as their beliefs, ideas, attitudes and perceptions. The survey is mainly used in the fields of psychology, marketing research, public administration, public health and communication studies to study the participants involved in the data collection process (Grant & Thornton, 2007). The survey can either focus on some factual information about the individuals or might collect opinion of the respondents. A survey is carried out mainly in two forms i.e. questionnaire and interview; the researcher selected the method that is compatible with the research objectives. For instance, the questionnaire is used to understand the customer’s perception about online programs and an interview can be conducted to gain an in-depth understanding about the reason of getting enrolled in these programs. The main element in this study is the questionnaire as it is the key instrument for gathering information about students’ perception on distance learning programs. According to Fanning (2005), the questionnaire development is a critical aspect in questionnaire-based survey as the researchers have to ensure that it has all the questions that will help them in retrieving the required information effectively. Since questionnaires are self-administered, the sequencing of questions along with their wordings is important determinant of data quality; therefore, an adequate amount of time was spent on developing the questionnaire so that real and factual results can be drawn from the research studies. Ethical Considerations In order to ensure that the entire research method is conducted in accordance within the ethical guidelines of the University, all precautionary measures are taken to ensure that ethical boundaries during the research are not violated. The foremost concern during any research is the confidentiality of respondents’ personal information; the questionnaire is designed in a way that only relevant questions are asked and the personal questions regarding religion, ethnic background, marital status or anything that can offend the respondents are not included. All the data is utilised only for the purpose of research and undue care has been taken to ensure that the respondents are satisfied with the entire process of research. The study will be completed on time and within available resources so that the report can be submitted before the deadline. The complete study is conducted within the ethical boundaries so that the respondents are satisfied with the appropriate use of the information collected from the survey. Data Collection Instrument and Technique In primary research method, one of the most commonly used methods is the questionnaire. In more than 85% of the quantitative research studies, this instrument has been used and it has helped the researchers in achieving the appropriate set of results effectively. The research done through questionnaires requires a multi-method approach so that authentic data can be collected (Harris & Brown, 2010). There are two types of questions in the questionnaire i.e. open-ended and close-ended questions. The open-ended questions ask the respondents to give their opinion about something; while, in close-ended questions, the respondents have to select the best answer from the options provided. In this research, the primary data will be collected by conducting a small survey that comprises of fifty respondents. Online data collection method will be used to reach the respondents as contacting them via email will be the easiest method. The sampling method used will be the convenience sampling as all the respondents will be college students and accessing the data via online survey is the most feasible option. When the questionnaire was developed, a pilot test will be conducted on ten respondents to determine the understanding capability of the respondents and to ensure that the respondents had no difficulty in understanding the meaning of each question. The questionnaire is given in the Appendix and after the pilot test it was evident that the questionnaire was easy to understand and respondents had no difficulty in answering them. Almost all of the respondents replied quickly and the analysis of the data was easily carried out by the researcher. As the questionnaire was approved by the respondents and they completed the survey quickly, it showed that interpreting the meanings of questions was convenient for them. Hence, it is expected that the participants will have no issues when responding to the questions and the data gathered will be reliable and accurate. Data Analysis Data analysis can be done using either SPSS tool or Excel analytical tools (Wise & Rothman, 2010); both of these tools have been used in various studies such as Kirby and Sharpe (2011), Manolopoulos (2008) and Wang et al. (2008). Once the data will be collected, it will be then entered in the Excel sheet which will be later used for in-depth analysis. During data analysis process, adequate care will be given to the tools used for analysis. As the main purpose of the research is to understand the students’ perceptions about distance learning programmes, the analysis will be kept simple as most of the data will be presented in descriptive statistics i.e. frequency, percentage, means and etc. so that readers can easily understand the findings of the research. When self-administered surveys are used in the data collection methods, there are more chances that the information gathered is valid and reliable (Bukaliya & Musika, 2011). The method is considered to be the best alternative among all other ones as it provides the opportunity of collecting quantitative data from a sample that is dispersed off at far off places whilst ensuring respondents’ anonymity is properly maintained which can enhance the validity and reliability of the data collected (Harris & Brown, 2010). In order to ensure that the data collected is reliable and accurate, the study was conducted by the researcher personally as the person was involved in the data collection method. Since the researcher approached the respondents themselves, the chances of collecting accurate information were high and the credibility of the data was positive as well. The online survey was easy and can be conducted quickly; hence, this mechanism was used for data collection. The primary reason for using questionnaire-based survey was that the self-administered survey helps in accelerating the pace of study. Conclusion The primary goal of the study was to gather information about students’ perceptions on distance learning programs. The research design has been properly done by considering the dynamics of the entire research process. Although interview-based surveys provide detailed information about the topic that is being studied but the time limitation made questionnaire-based survey the ideal option for this study. The data gathered from this method allows easy interpretation of information as the quantitative data can be analysed at a fast pace and it can be represented in the form of graphs and charts. Since the visual presentation can be made from the data gathered, it is easier to understand the information that is collected and results of the survey can be easily interpreted by everyone. Hence, the questionnaire-based surveys are the best options in the business contexts where information regarding the perceptions, opinions and attitudes of the participants is sought; it is the ideal method of survey for those organisations that are looking for the fastest method of gathering information about their business environment so that they can make decisions quickly and effectively. Therefore, the survey method is the best option for the entities especially colleges and universities that are looking for feedback about their programmes to alter them in accordance to the students’ requirements. References Babb, S., Stewart, C. and Johnson, R., 2010. Constructing Communication in Blended Learning Environments: Students’ Perceptions of Good Practice in Hybrid Courses. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 6(4), pp. 737-753. Barnard, L., Paton, V. and Rose, K., 2007. Perceptions of online course communications and collaboration. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 10(4), pp. 1-10. Borstorff, P.C. and Lowe, S.K., 2007. Students perceptions and opinions towards e-learning in the college environment. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 11(2), pp. 13-29. Bukaliya, R. and Musika, F., 2011. Assessing the receptivity of open and distance learning programmes among Ordinary and Advanced Level students: A case of the Zimbabwe Open University. International Journal on new trends in education and their implications, 2(3), pp. 73-87. Conaway, R.N., Easton, S.S. and Schmidt, W.V., 2005. Strategies for enhancing student Interaction and Immediacy in Online Courses. Business Communication Quarterly, 68(1), pp. 23-35. Grant, M. and Thornton, H.R., 2007. Best practices in undergraduate adult-centered online learning: Mechanisms for course design and delivery. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 3(4), pp. 346-362. Hostetter, C. and Busch, M., 2006. Measuring up online: The relationship between social presence and student learning satisfaction. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(2), pp. 1-2. Jackson, M.J. and Helms, M.M., 2008. Student perceptions of hybrid courses: Measuring and interpreting quality. Journal of Education for Business, 1(84), pp. 7-12. Kirby, D. and Sharpe, D., 2011. Intention, transition, retention: Examining high school distance e-learners’ participation in tertiary education. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education, 7(1), pp. 21-32. Harris, L.R. and Brown, G.T.L., 2010. Mixing interview and questionnaire methods: Practical problems in aligning data. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 15(1), pp. 1-19. Manolopoulos, D., 2008. An evaluation of employee motivation in the extended public sector in Greece. Employee Relations, 30(1), pp. 63-85. Spatariu, A., Quinn, L.F. and Hartley, K., 2007. A review of research on factors that impact aspects of online discussions quality. TechTrends, 51(3), pp. 44-48. Stavroulia, Kalliopi-Evangelia and Psychari, A., 2010. Students’ perceptions about distance education. A primary approach. [Online] Available at: < http://korinthos.uop.gr/~hcicte10/proceedings/71.pdf > [Accessed 27 November 2012] Wang, Y., Peng, H., Huang, R., Hou, Y. and Wang, J., 2008. Characteristics of distance learners: Research on relationships of learning motivation, learning strategy, self-efficacy, attribution and learning results. Journal of Open and Distance Learning, 23(1), pp. 17-28. Wise, B. and Rothman, R., 2010. The online learning imperative: A solution to three looming crises in education. Washington: Alliance for Excellent Education. Appendix I – Questionnaire of the survey Personal Information: Gender: Male Female Age: ____________ Profession: ___________________ (In case of prospective student, identify the programme in which you are currently enrolled with the name of the institution) Thank you for taking out time for the survey, your co-operation will be highly appreciated and confidentiality will be maintained regarding the information provided. Q1. Which is the best university for distance learning programs? Q2. Why is this program the best choice for you? Q3. What are the factors that need to be considered when selecting the University for the Distance Learning Programs? Reputation of the University Degrees offered Course curriculum Total cost of the program Faculty options Others, please specify ___________________ Rank the factors in order of priority (1 being most important and 3 being less important) 1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________ Q5. How would you rate the distance learning programs offered by online institutions on scale of 1-5 on the following aspects: (1=Best, 2=Good, 3=Above Average, 4=Average, 5=Poor) a. Course content b. Fees structure c. Faculty d. Study programme e. Choices available for specialization f. Practical experience g. Teacher’s assistance h. Flexibility in courses i. Marketing activities Q6. What are the most effective mediums for marketing these programs? (Select only three options) Television advertisements Newspapers advertisements Radio Brochures University sponsored events Social networking site such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Web blogs E-mails Others, please specify __________________ Q7. Rank in order of priority, where you search for information about various distance learning programs (1 being the first option for information search). 1. Google _____ 2. Facebook _____ 3. Twitter _____ 4. Country’s Education website _____ 5. Family _____ 6. Relatives _____ 7. Others, please Specify _____ Q8. What are the benefits of enrolling in distance learning programs? 1. 2. 3. Q9. What are your suggestions for improving the quality level of these programs? 1. 2. 3. Appendix II – Some Results of the Pilot Testing Read More