The effects of instructor-learner interactions on learner satisfaction in online masters courses

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the extent instructor-learner interactions affected learner satisfaction in online, semester-long Masters courses. This research study lent itself to several questions: To what extent do instructor-learner interactions affect learner satisfaction in online Masters courses; To what extent does instructional immediacy affect learner satisfaction in online Masters courses; To what extent does instructor availability affect learner satisfaction in online Masters courses; To what extend does transactional distance affect learner satisfaction in online Masters courses?;The participants in this study consisted of 25 exclusively online Masters students in the Instructional Technology program at Wayne State University. Students were asked to complete an anonymous online Student Satisfaction Questionnaire that asked them about their level of satisfaction with various interactions within their online learning courses. The findings of this research showed that certain types of instructor-learner interactions had greater effects on learner satisfaction in these types of learning environments than others.