**7.1.3 About financing**

Access to flexible learning options and cost of attendance were related for the students in this research project. Although students used grants to cover their cost of attending the community college because it was fairly inexpensive, loans had to be added to their portfolio to cover the cost of attendance once they transitioned to a four-year school. Students and ESO administrators acknowledged that limited online and distance degree program offerings at the local public university forced students to consider out-of-state and for-profit institutions, where the cost of attendance was higher than at the local public university. One student chose an out-of-state institution that cost more because the local university did not offer a distance degree in her area of study.

#### **7.1.4 About the course experience**

Students in this research project experienced different flavors of online learning. For one student, online learning was a weekly e-mailed lesson. For another student it was e-mail and televised video lectures. Another student's course used a course management system. One feature of online courses that three of the six participants commented on favorably was the video lectures. Whether these were accessed online through the computer or viewed on television, students appreciated the ability to re-play and stop/rewind the lectures as needed. In addition, the feature really helped with note-taking.

In this project, students had more online interactions with professors than with students. Some students reported being encouraged to visit instructors in their offices, which was only possible because they lived within driving distance of the campus. These same students also scheduled face-to-face study groups with other students.

Two students in this project used online courses to supplement their face-to-face schedule of courses. These students found it easy to obtain extra credits by taking online courses, because they did not have to worry about conflicts with other campus courses on their schedules. Being able to take a blended schedule of campus-based and online courses allowed students to complete degree requirements faster.

Students appreciated the pre-course and in-course training they received. Training/ orientation for online courses important to students; some students are reluctant to study online because it is new to them.

#### **7.1.5 About success**

292 International Perspectives of Distance Learning in Higher Education

All of the students in this research project were pursuing postsecondary education as a way of advancing themselves financially and professionally. None of them considered themselves anything beyond computer novices before they enrolled in online study; two of them did not have a home computer or Internet access. They chose the online option for a variety of reasons. The military wife and mother chose online study because it suited her life as a mother who needed to be home with her children and a military wife who moved from base to base. The senior citizen chose online courses to supplement her on-campus courses

Access to flexible learning options and cost of attendance were related for the students in this research project. Although students used grants to cover their cost of attending the community college because it was fairly inexpensive, loans had to be added to their portfolio to cover the cost of attendance once they transitioned to a four-year school. Students and ESO administrators acknowledged that limited online and distance degree program offerings at the local public university forced students to consider out-of-state and for-profit institutions, where the cost of attendance was higher than at the local public university. One student chose an out-of-state institution that cost more because the local

Students in this research project experienced different flavors of online learning. For one student, online learning was a weekly e-mailed lesson. For another student it was e-mail and televised video lectures. Another student's course used a course management system. One feature of online courses that three of the six participants commented on favorably was the video lectures. Whether these were accessed online through the computer or viewed on television, students appreciated the ability to re-play and stop/rewind the lectures as

In this project, students had more online interactions with professors than with students. Some students reported being encouraged to visit instructors in their offices, which was only possible because they lived within driving distance of the campus. These same

Two students in this project used online courses to supplement their face-to-face schedule of courses. These students found it easy to obtain extra credits by taking online courses, because they did not have to worry about conflicts with other campus courses on their schedules. Being able to take a blended schedule of campus-based and online courses

Students appreciated the pre-course and in-course training they received. Training/ orientation for online courses important to students; some students are reluctant to study

**7.1.2 About the students** 

**7.1.3 About financing** 

as a way of completing her degree faster.

**7.1.4 About the course experience** 

university did not offer a distance degree in her area of study.

needed. In addition, the feature really helped with note-taking.

allowed students to complete degree requirements faster.

online because it is new to them.

students also scheduled face-to-face study groups with other students.

Discipline, initiative, and technology self-efficacy emerged as keys to success in online learning. Because of the discipline required to complete and submit work on a timely basis, the students did not think online learning was for all students. One student was particularly concerned about freshmen taking online courses. The students saw initiative as important because the teacher is not physically there to guide you through every step of the work you have to get done. While acknowledging that everything students needed to complete assignments was present in the online course materials and the online tools provided (discussion board, for example), some students would be uneasy about accessing the help they needed. These students also felt that students pursuing online study needed a degree of comfort and knowledge with using a computer and the Internet. They felt these skills could be learned, but that the new student would need support as they went through the learning process.

#### **7.1.6 About personal impact**

All the student participants felt that having access to online courses was required for them to meet their goals for a degree. The four students with full-time jobs did not think they would have been able to pursue postsecondary study without the online option. The two nonworking students felt that having access to online learning allowed them to complete their degree requirements faster, thereby entering the job market sooner.

#### **7.2 Implications for practice**

The lessons learned from this research have the following implications for practice:


While the study presented in this chapter took a qualitative approach to the student experience, future research that addresses these research questions from a quantitative perspective would be valuable. Such research in conjunction with qualitative experiential data would provide a richer and broader understanding on the online study experience for

Ashburn, E. (2007, April 13). Mapping the misunderstood population of adult students.

Aud, S., Hussar, W., & Kena, G. (2011). *The Conditions of Learning 2011*. (U.S. Department of

Benson, A. (2007). An exploratory story of online postsecondary education for low-income

Brown, R. (2001). The process of Community-Building in Distance Learning Classes. *Journal* 

Carriuolo, N. (2002). The nontraditional undergraduate and distance learning: is higher

Coombs-Richardson, R. (2007, Winter). Personalizing distance learning. Kappa Delta Pi

Dutton, J., Dutton, M. and Perry, J. (2001, January). Do online students perform as well as

Grow, G. (1991). Teaching learners to be self-directed. *Adult Education Quarterly*, 41(3), 125-149. Huang, H.-M. (2002). Toward constructivism for adult leaners in online learning

Kleiman, G. (2004). *Meeting the need for high quality teachers: e-learning solutions.* U.S.

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/plan/2004/site/documen

Knowles, M. (1984). *Andragogy in action: applying modern principles of adult education.* San

LaPadula, M. (2003). A comprehensive look at online student support services for distance

Lim, D. (2004). The effect of flexible learning schedule on online learners' learning,

application, and instructional perception. In *Academy of Human Resource* 

Instructional Outcomes and Learner Satisfaction. *Journal of Asynchronous Learning* 

learners. *The American Journal of Distance Education, (17*(2), 119-128.

*Development International Conference: Symposium 49-1* (pp. 1060-1066). Lim, D.H., Morris, M. & Kupritz, V.W. (2007). Online vs. Blended Learning: Differences in

environments. *British Journal of Educational Technology, 33* (1), 27-37.

*of Asynchronous Learning Networks (5)*2, 18-35. Available at http://www.aln.org/publications/jaln/v5n2/pdf/v5n2\_brown.pdf.

Education, National Center for Education Statistics, NCES 2011-033). Washington,

working adults: A view from education support programs. *Journal of Negro* 

education providing a portal or just a keyhole to social and economic mobility?

lecture students? *Journal of Engineering Education (90)*1, 131-136. Available at http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/users/d/dutton/public/research/online.pdf. Green, J. (1998). *Androgogy: teaching adults.* (B. Hoffman, Ed.) Encyclopedia of Educational

Technology: Available at http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/andragogy/start.htm.

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*Networks*, 11(2), 27-42

*Education (76)*1, 17-30.

*Change 36*(6), 56-61*.*

Record, 71-75.

these students.

**8. References** 

course offerings that used Internet tools and non-Internet tools. For example, one course had students view televised lectures. Another course may provide DVDs to students.


#### **7.3 Future research**

There are two major limitations of the research presented in this chapter that indicate areas where future research should be directed. The first limitation of the study is that it focuses on seven students associated with a single educational support organization. Future research should broaden the study to include more students, both students enrolled in online study and students choosing not to enroll in online study. Including both groups of students in the study will provide more insight into how students make choices about whether to enroll online. Future studies should also include more educational support organizations. Online student needs can be met in a variety of ways. By including multiple educational support organizations researchers can begin to investigate and evaluate the different support models for effectiveness.

The second limitation of the study is that it takes a snapshot of the student experience at one point in time. Future research should include a longitudinal study that follows students from the beginning of the postsecondary study through its completion. Such a study would provide insight into student persistence and attrition as well as a more developed view of the student experience.

While the study presented in this chapter took a qualitative approach to the student experience, future research that addresses these research questions from a quantitative perspective would be valuable. Such research in conjunction with qualitative experiential data would provide a richer and broader understanding on the online study experience for these students.

#### **8. References**

294 International Perspectives of Distance Learning in Higher Education

6. The interface design for organizing information can impact student success. As noted in the research of Moore, Downing, and York (2002), online instructors should be mindful that their online course organization of materials might not match the mental model of the students. Juanita's comment regarding how courses at 4-year universities have different organization schemes whereas the online community colleges look the same relates to the multiple course phenomenon (Moore, et al., 2002). When students are accessing more than one online course in the same Content Management System (CMS), such as Blackboard, Angel, Moodle, Sakai, they can easily become disoriented when searching for course content. As a result, this phenomenon illustrates how content organization can impact students' satisfaction level with the course, which can

There are two major limitations of the research presented in this chapter that indicate areas where future research should be directed. The first limitation of the study is that it focuses on seven students associated with a single educational support organization. Future research should broaden the study to include more students, both students enrolled in online study and students choosing not to enroll in online study. Including both groups of students in the study will provide more insight into how students make choices about whether to enroll online. Future studies should also include more educational support organizations. Online student needs can be met in a variety of ways. By including multiple educational support organizations researchers can begin to investigate and evaluate the

The second limitation of the study is that it takes a snapshot of the student experience at one point in time. Future research should include a longitudinal study that follows students from the beginning of the postsecondary study through its completion. Such a study would provide insight into student persistence and attrition as well as a more developed view of

directed responsibilities necessary for distance learning.

sometimes result in low attrition and negative course evaluations.

**7.3 Future research** 

the student experience.

different support models for effectiveness.

course offerings that used Internet tools and non-Internet tools. For example, one course had students view televised lectures. Another course may provide DVDs to students. 5. Consider developing an online support organization or division devoted to support online students. While students in this research project lived in close proximity to the institutions offering their online courses, institutions cannot depend on this being the same situation for all online students. Based on the Self-Direct Learning Model (Grow, 1991), learners are within four distinct stages that range from learners needing an authority to direct them (Stage 1) to learners who are motivated and capable of directing their learning process either alone or with an expert's help (Stage 4). Sarah's comments regarding being an "independent learner" illustrates a Stage 4 perspective while still knowing that you can receive assistance and direction from the instructor. For a novice online learner, this may be unfamiliar perspective. However, with structured support from distance education organization, students can be better prepared for their first experience. This support comes in the form of training or orientation courses to introduce students to the activities, management, and self-


**Part 5** 

**Distance Learning Educational Tools** 

