Research Abstracts Free

The rise of distance education classrooms in colleges and universities call for attention to the difference in communicative strategies needed from a regular classroom. This study examined the concept of classroom communication apprehension (CCA) and the distance classroom. Ninety-two students from three different classes participated in this study. The results indicated that as the fear of technology confronted in the distance class rose, so did the apprehension to communicate in the class. But as the student experienced a positive feeling with the technology, his/her apprehension to speak in class was less. Suggestions are presented along with limitations. Finally, a plea was made to encourage the research in this new area—the distance classroom. (Contains 34 references.) Appendixes contain data and the survey instrument. 2001. 28 pp. ED 451 555

A comparative study was conducted to examine the effects of distance delivery on student performance in a science course. Academic outcomes and interactions were compared among students (n = 44) enrolled in two sections of an upper level histology course taught over the course of a single semester by the same instructor. Eleven students took the course entirely online, while 33 took the course in a traditional, on-campus format. Although the performance of both groups on a content pre-test was indistinguishable, at the end of the study, students in the online group significantly outperformed their peers in the on-campus group on a content post-test. The online group also demonstrated a greater frequency of interpersonal interactions. Further investigation of the topic and content of interactions revealed that although students in the online group initiated a smaller percentage of content-related interactions, these interactions demonstrated higher levels of thought and abstraction than those generated by the on-campus students. (Contains 18 references.) 2001. 17 pp. ED 452 069

This study examines the results of a three-year video mentoring program, the NASA Virtual Science Mentor (VSM) program, which paired 56 NASA mentor engineers and scientists with 56 middle school science teachers in seven Southwest Florida counties. The study sought to determine the impact on students, mentors, and teachers participating in the program. The paired teams met through a desktop video system. The mentors were involved in several activities such as lecturing, evaluating student projects, providing NASA resource materials, and responding to questions via email. Overall results showed that student progress significantly increased over the three-year period in the following areas: class participation, critical thinking skills, teamwork, communication and participation in science projects. The majority of the teachers rated the program as excellent and a majority of the NASA mentors rated the program at least satisfactory. 2001. ED 451 056

This study offers descriptive information about distance learning courses and the faculty who teach them, and explores faculty members’ opinions about distance learning. The report focuses only on distance education as taught by full-time National Education Association faculty members at traditional two- and four-year colleges and universities to relatively small classes using highly interactive technologies. Data for the study are derived from interviews in February/March 2000 with a total of 402 distance learning faculty and 130 traditional faculty. The report examines the growth of distance learning courses; characteristics of NEA distance learning faculty (most are full-time and tenured; however, distance learning faculty are more likely to teach at community colleges); distance learning technologies used to communicate with students (primarily Web-based and video technologies); course development (including institutional support and faculty rights); characteristics of distance learning students (approximately equally divided between older and younger, full- and part-time; mostly undergraduates); faculty opinions about distance learning (advantages, concerns about, and comparison of distance learning and traditional courses in meeting educational goals); and current compensation practices. Forty-one graphics are included. The survey design and methods are appended. 2000. 55 pp. ED 445 571

Based on collaborative learning theories, this qualitative study describes seven adult students’ experiences of learning in a context of synchronous computer-mediated communication within a distance education environment. The setting was an 8-week, Internet-based undergraduate/graduate sociology course sponsored by Indiana University Purdue University at Fort Wayne. The primary mode of instruction was text-based, synchronous computer conferencing (online discussions). Course requirements included weekly interaction in the chats among small groups of fellow students and the instructor. Data collection focused on a series of four interviews with each study participant and was supplemented by observations of participants’ interactions in the synchronous conferences, learning journal entries, and a reflective journal maintained by the researchers. Analysis of the evidence focused on cognitive and affective responses as study participants learned computer competencies, critical thinking skills, and course concepts. As a result of this study, synchronous computer conferencing was validated as a potentially motivational and effective tool for interactive learning with computer-mediated communication in the distance education environment. (Contains 27 references.) 2000. 21 pp. ED 447 794

This study examined the social impact of online, Web-based, distance learning (OWDL) technology on students enrolled in health, physical education, and recreation (HPER) Master’s degree level courses as compared to students in traditional classroom courses. Surveys were developed and mailed to 137 students in both types of classrooms. The surveys included an online and a traditional version of the Social Impact Survey of Distance Learning in Higher Education on Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Students. Results indicated that well-planned, carefully crafted OWDL courses met students’ needs. Listservs, voice mail, fax mail, forum discussions, and e-mail were basic components of the distance learning process. Collectively, they were highly effective in providing materials and communication between students and instructors. OWDL students had more time to think and respond to questions, worked more efficiently and productively at their own pace, had more discretionary time, and had more written assignments (which improved their writing skills). Respondents felt they were more likely to bond in traditional courses. Students considered forum discussions more interactive than the traditional classroom equivalent. The surveys and graphs are appended. (Contains 45 references.) 2000. 72 pp. ED 449 160

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