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Instructor presence and design factors influencing student success in Internet classes

Posted on:2003-11-10Degree:Ph.DType:Dissertation
University:Southern Illinois University at CarbondaleCandidate:Brady, Edward NFull Text:PDF
GTID:1467390011978594Subject:Education
Abstract/Summary:
The effects of enhanced teacher presence on student attitude and performance were examined. Students (N = 30) who enrolled in the Internet section of General Psychology at a Midwestern two-year college were randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental group. Enhanced teacher presence was created by following a research protocol that used richly personal E-mail communications, provided weekly progress updates, and provided synchronous opportunities for the experimental group to meet with the instructor online. Performance was measured in terms of test grades and total accumulated points. A demographic survey was administered to determine if age, sex, history of distance learning classes taken, history of Internet classes taken, number of college hours completed prior to enrolling in class, hours employed per week, and source of tuition payment act as intervening or mediating variables to explain any variance found between groups on performance or attitudes. A student attitude survey was administered at the end of the semester to identify student attitudes towards course design and delivery systems and towards instruction. Additionally, online grading time differences were examined.; Enhanced teacher presence produced no significant differences between groups on performance. The synchronous online components were ignored by students. Demographic variables did not explain any variation between groups on performance or attitude variables.; There was no significant difference between groups on attitudes towards instruction. A significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group on attitudes towards the instructor (p < .01). The differences in attitude did not lead to improved performance or course completion rates. In general, students who completed the course earned good grades and felt positively about Internet instruction. Additional time spent grading online by the instructor had no significant effect on performance.; Discussion of the results indicated possible reasons for the lack of significant findings.
Keywords/Search Tags:Performance, Presence, Student, Instructor, Internet, Attitude
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