Transactional Distance and Student Satisfaction in a Postgraduate Distance Learning Program

Abstract

The present study examines the three dimensions of the transactional distance theory of Moore and their correlation with student satisfaction, through a quantitative survey with data collected from 115 postgraduate students of the Hellenic Open University (H.O.U). The results indicate that students perceived low levels of teacher-student transactional distance and slightly higher, but still low, levels of student-student and student-content transactional distance. Moreover, they seem to be satisfied by their distant learning studies. Male students perceived lower levels of teacher-student and student-content transactional distance than female ones, while students with previous experience in distance learning perceived lower levels of student-student transactional distance than those without such experience. Statistically significant correlations exist between the three dimensions of transactional distance and satisfaction, with the strongest, negative correlation, observed between satisfaction and student-content transactional distance. Finally, statistically significant and, moderate to low, positive correlations were observed between the three types of transactional distance, indicating their interlinkages.

Exploring the relationship between students' learning satisfaction and self-efficacy during the emergency transition to remote learning amid the coronavirus pandemic: A cross-sectional study

“…Related literature shows that the effect of interaction and communication on student satisfaction is explained by the transactional distance theory (TDT) (Bolliger and Halupa 2018;Gavrilisr et al 2020;Weidlich and Bastiaens 2018). TDT is the cognitive gap between the teacher and learners; it functions as the interplay of the structural method and the autonomy of the learner, facilitating dialog that underpins the complex practice of learning processes at a distance (Keegan 2005;Moore 1997).…”

Determinants of hospitality students' perceived learning during COVID 19 pandemic: Role of interactions and self-efficacy

“…The factor autonomy depends on the dialog and structure and refers to the learner's independence and interdependence as they engage in the learning. Though this theory's validity is not accepted unanimously ( Gorsky & Caspi, 2005 ), generally, there is conformity regarding its usefulness as a theoretical framework in a distance learning environment such as ERT ( Best & Conceição, 2018 , Gavrilis, Mavroidis, & Giossos, 2020 , Goel et al, 2012 , Kara, 2020 , Weidlich & Bastiaens, 2018 ). Meanwhile, TD is believed to increase when there is greater learner autonomy, more structure, and less dialog ( Ekwunife-Orakwue & Teng, 2014 ).…”

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“…En Asía se hallaron 27 estudios: 6 en Turquía (Bayrak, Tibi & Altun,(Bayrak et al, 2020); (Caner & Servet, 2020); Gavrilis, Mavroidis & Giossos, 2020;(Hamutoglu et al, 2018); (Ilgaz & Gülbahar, 2020); (Rabia, 2020); 4 en Malasia (Abuhassna et al, 2020); Amin et al (Amin et al, 2020); (Bashir, 2019); Daneji et al, 2019); 4 en Indonesia (Harsasi & Sutawijaya, 2018;(Muzammil et al, 2020); (Ohliati & Abbas, 2019); Weli, 2019(Harsasi & Sutawijaya, 2018; 2 en Taiwán (Lin et al, 2018;(Yu et al, 2018)(Y. Lin et al, 2018); 2 en Corea del Sur (Bailey et al, 2020) (Baber, 2020); 2 en China (X.…”