Evaluating the Computer-
Conferencing Portion
of a Distance Education Course

Mauri Collins

The Pennsylvania State University

Course description:


Introduction to Distance Education

Topics:

Characteristics of
Computer Conferencing

Why Choose LISTSERV?

Only prerequisites:

Developing the Evaluation Instrument

Observations

Student Comments

Hiltz, Starr Roxanne. (1990). Evaluating the Virtual Classroom. In L. Harasim (Ed.) Online education: Perspectives on a new environment. New York: Preager.

Lauzon, A. C. (1992). Integrating computer-based instruction with computer conferencing: An evaluation of a mode for distance on-line education. The American journal of Distance Education, 6(2):32-46.

Evaluation topics:

  • Experience with computers and email

  • Ease of access to email

  • Training/getting help/feedback

  • Importance of various course elements

  • Technical issues

  • Interaction with course content

  • Interaction with peers

Demographic Characteristics

Respondents by Site

USA %
University Park 15 78
Harrisburg 2 28
Monroeville 2 100
Mexico
Mexico City 13 76
Guadalajara 9 100
Finland
Helsinki 4 80
Turku 5 71
Estonia
Tallin 0 0
All 50 70

The Respondents

  • 34 women and 16 men

  • 80% in 30-50 yr. age group

  • 70% taking first DE course

  • 56% had access to email from home

  • Most were neophyte computer and email users

  • The Americans and Fins had easier access to their email than the Mexicans, and fewer technical/access problems

  • Many respondents already worked, or wanted to work in Distance Education

What Worked:

  • Student to student interaction

  • Community building

  • Increased time for the exploration of ideas

  • Course materials quickly distributed

  • Efficient and fast for turning in assignments

  • Students would take another course with a computer conferencing component

What didn't work so well:

  • Access to computers a problem

  • High long-distance phone bills

  • Lack of training and support for using email

  • Language difficulties

  • Difficulty following discussion threads

  • Amount of reading overwhelming

  • Difficulty reading text on screen

Ranking of course elements by perceived importance to students
How important was: Mean SD
Book of readings 4.50 0.65
Comments by other students 4.46 0.57
In class group assignments 4.32 0.84
Comments by instructors 4.16 0.89
Audioconferencing 4.08 0.97
DECERT-L 4.02 0.97
Frequent course evaluations 3.74 1.16
Videotapes 3.30 1.29

A 5 point Likert scale was anchored with 1=not important, to 5=very important

Where do we go from here?

With the evaluation:

  • Develop a firm theoretical basis

  • Improve the questions

  • Translate survey into students' first language

  • Encourage 100 percent response

  • Provide for multiple media distribution and collection

  • Enlist the assistance of the site coordinators

Where do we go from here?

With the computer conference:

  • Integrate fully into the course structure

  • Redistribute course content more evenly between audio and computer conferencing

  • Determine and implement best strategy for training students to use email

  • Use LISTSERV's "topics" feature

  • "Amanuensis" becomes Facilitator

Where do we go from here?

The research:

  • What factors effect the students' use of email and DECERT-L?

  • What is the optimal mix of delivery technologies for this course?

  • Does the "time and place independence" of computer conferencing really hold up?

  • Is our computer conference's "playing field" really level for second language students?

  • Do student attitudes towards email and computer conferencing change over time as a function of increasing experience?

And that's just a beginning. . . .

Brought to you by emoderators.com

Berge Collins Associates
 
September 9, 2006