The impetus for this study was the need to gain a better understanding of what interaction activities in the virtual classroom affect student outcomes. The purpose was to determine which perceptions of interactions contributed to predicting student outcomes of satisfaction and future enrollment in Web-based courses, while controlling for student characteristics. The problem is that the interaction that occurs in the Web-based classroom is markedly different than what occurs in the traditional classroom setting.
The study was a secondary analysis using data from 388 student evaluations of Web-based courses. Using Astin's Input-Environment-Outcome (I-E-O) conceptual framework, influences of student characteristics [inputs] and virtual classroom interactions [environment] on student outcomes were examined. Student input predictors were perceptions of computer skills; knowledge of electronic communications; number of Web-based courses taken; distance living from campus; and age. Environmental predictors included interactions with the instructor, students, technology, and perceptions of presence.
Hierarchical, multiple regression analyses were performed to answer
two research questions:
1. Do students' self-reported ratings of interaction help predict
their satisfaction in a Web-based course, while controlling for
student characteristics?
2. Do students' self-reported ratings of interaction help explain
their willingness to take another Web-based course, while controlling
for student characteristics?
The most significant predictor of both student outcomes was students'
perceptions regarding their interaction with their instructors.
Second, satisfaction and enrollment were affected by students' perception
of the technology as contributing to wasted time. Third, students
who did not miss the face-to-face interactions as much tended to
be more satisfied and were willing to take other online courses.
Finally, information on distance living from campus helped in predicting
satisfaction and likelihood of enrolling in other similar courses.
These four variables contributed 72% of the variance in predicting
satisfaction and 60% in likelihood of enrolling in future online
courses.
The overall regression findings supported the need to examine
student characteristics and the educational environment when assessing
student outcomes. Findings provided support for the idea that the
interaction activities that occur in a Web-based environment --
not student characteristics -- have a greater impact on students'
satisfaction and likelihood of enrolling in other online courses.
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