Staying Connected: MPA Student Perceptions of Transactional Presence

Abstract

Online education has increased exponentially in the past five years and is now considered part of mainstream higher education. It has significantly changed bricks and mortar institutions, but has the change been effective? One of the most common concerns regarding online education is the physical separation between teachers and students (Robertson, Grant, & Jackson, 2005; Moore, 1997). In order to bridge the physical distance of online education, Shin (2003, 2002) argues that universities should enhance transactional presence. However, little is known about transactional presence and online public administration courses. This study examines Master's of Public Administration (MPA) student perceptions of transactional presence with two groups: faculty and peers. Findings support previous research of no significant difference between teaching mediums in regards to student perceptions. Contrary to previous studies, neither ethnicity nor gender appear to play a prominent role in whether students are satisfied with the contact they have with peers or with faculty.

U.S. public administration programs

“…Students participating in the study were predominantly female (68%, compared to 32% male). This is consistent with a previous study conducted with the same UB MPA student population (Naylor and Wilson, 2009). In regards to race, 24.4 per cent were White/Caucasian and 75 per cent of respondents were minority students: 62.8 per cent African American, 7.58 per cent Asian, 3.8 per cent bi-racial, less than 1 per cent Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and less than 1 per cent American Indian/Alaska Native.…”

“…The percentage of minority students (75%) is slightly above average for previous MPA student data (65%), but gender remained the same as reported by Naylor and Wilson (2009). Please note that bi-racial or multi-race information was not previously recorded in the Naylor and Wilson study (2009). Of the respondents who reported they were of Black origin, 78.3 per cent ( n = 65) reported they were African American, 10.8 per cent were African ( n = 9), and 10 per cent ( n = 8) were Caribbean Blacks.…”

Consistency is key in online learning: Evaluating student and instructor perceptions of a collaborative online-course template

“…Around the world, instruction is increasingly delivered asynchronously online, with educators facing new challenges and searching for ways to maintain rigor and quality content. As online education has emerged across mainstream higher education, an increasing number of MPA programs are offering online courses, hybrid courses and entire degree programs online (Naylor and Wilson, 2009; Powell, 2007). Today, even face-to-face courses commonly have an online component where readings are posted, assignments are submitted and information is shared.…”

The Impact of Emotions on Student Achievement in Synchronous Hybrid Business and Public Administration Programs: A Longitudinal Test of Control‐Value Theory*

“…regardless of delivery mode" (p. 7). This emerging theme in accreditation standards has given birth to a growing body of comparative studies on online versus on-campus course delivery (e.g., Frantzen, 2014;Gibson, 2008;Harris & Nikitenko, 2014;Naylor & Wilson, 2009;Smith, 2001;Ya Ni, 2013). To date, the majority of these studies have juxtaposed student outcomes from separate online and on-campus courses.…”

“…Similarly, accreditation standards of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB, ) also state that online and on‐campus MBA programs must be “essentially the same in content … regardless of delivery mode” (p. 7). This emerging theme in accreditation standards has given birth to a growing body of comparative studies on online versus on‐campus course delivery (e.g., Frantzen, ; Gibson, ; Harris & Nikitenko, ; Naylor & Wilson, ; Smith, ; Ya Ni, ). To date, the majority of these studies have juxtaposed student outcomes from separate online and on‐campus courses.…”