Comparison of Student Experiences with Different Online Graduate Courses in Health Promotion

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of students as they progressed through three specific online graduate courses in health promotion studies delivered primarily by asynchronous computer conferencing. Focused teleconference discussions were conducted with approximately 45 students from the different courses and the transcripts subjected to qualitative analysis. Themes that emerged included what new students appreciated most when adapting to learning online, factors that contributed to learner satisfaction, and the difficulties encountered by students taking a course when the content was not as well suited to the instructional method. The findings are discussed in relation to the three components of Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry model of learning: cognitive, social and teacher presence. Implications are presented for assisting students with the process of adapting to online learning and enhancing the ‘fit’ between course content and online instructional methods.

Online Teaching Effectiveness: A Tale of Two Instructors

“…These findings clearly support previous ones for both social presence (Richardson & Swan, 2002;Steinweg et al, 2006;Weaver & Albion, 2005) and for teaching presence (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005;Meyer, 2003;Murphy, 2004;Pawan et al, 2003;Shea et al, 2004;Swan, 2002;Swan & Shih, 2005;Varnhagen et al, 2005;Vaughan, 2004;Wu & Hiltz, 2004). In addition, findings concerning instructor response time (frequent instructor responses correlate with students" active and passive participation in the forum) are in accord with previous research (Kearsley, 2000;Northrup, 2002;Simonson et al, 2000;Swan, 2001).…”

IRRODL Volume 10, Number 3

“…These findings clearly support previous ones for both social presence (Richardson & Swan, 2002;Steinweg et al, 2006;Weaver & Albion, 2005) and for teaching presence (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005;Meyer, 2003;Murphy, 2004;Pawan et al, 2003;Shea et al, 2004;Swan, 2002;Swan & Shih, 2005;Varnhagen et al, 2005;Vaughan, 2004;Wu & Hiltz, 2004). In addition, findings concerning instructor response time (frequent instructor responses correlate with students" active and passive participation in the forum) are in accord with previous research (Kearsley, 2000;Northrup, 2002;Simonson et al, 2000;.…”

“…The body of evidence attesting to the importance of teaching presence for successful online learning is growing rapidly (Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005;Meyer, 2003;Murphy, 2004;Pawan, Paulus, Yalcin, & Chang, 2003;Shea, Pickett, & Pelz , 2004;Swan, 2002;Swan & Shih, 2005;Varnhagen, Wilson, Krupa, Kasprzak, & Hunting, 2005;Vaughan, 2004;Wu & Hiltz, 2004). The consensus is that teaching presence is a significant determinate of perceived learning, student satisfaction, and sense of community.…”

The relationship between academic discipline and dialogic behavior in open university course forums

“…The body of evidence attesting to the importance of teaching presence for successful online learning is growing rapidly (Bliss & Lawrence, 2009;Garrison & Cleveland-Innes, 2005;Garrison, Cleveland-Innes, & Fung (2010) ;Meyer, 2003;Murphy, 2004;Pawan, Paulus, Yalcin, & Chang, 2003;Shea, Pickett, & Pelz , 2004;Swan, 2002;Swan & Shih, 2005;Varnhagen, Wilson, Krupa, Kasprzak, & Hunting, 2005;Vaughan, 2004;Wu & Hiltz, 2004). The consensus is that teaching presence is a significant determinate of perceived learning, student satisfaction, and sense of community.…”