Content area
Abstract
This study focused on the effect of several factors on a student's sense of community in distance learning courses offered either asynchronously, through a blend of asynchronous and synchronous components or via a hybrid of distance learning and face to-face meetings. Online surveys provided data on the factors studied including: (a) the delivery design of the distance learning course, (b) the student's perception of interactivity, (c) the student's perception of the faculty member's teaching style, and (d) the student's reported learning style. Quantitative data analysis determined the effect of these factors on the student's sense of community and on two components of community, connectedness and learning. Qualitative data regarding student's perception of the presence or absence of 6 key elements for successful distance learning; honesty, responsiveness, relevance, respect, openness and honesty in their courses provided insight as to why a sense of community was or was not established.
Results of the analysis indicate that a high level interactivity had a positive effect on the student's sense of community in all 3 delivery designs. Students perceived a strong sense of community in courses using a blended design with high levels of interactivity taught with a perceived facilitator style. Students reported a low sense of community in asynchronous courses with low interactivity taught with a perceived delegator style. The effect of students' learning style was not found to be statistically significant but some potential for affect was indicated. Qualitative data revealed patterns of statements indicating the perception of honesty, responsiveness, relevance, respect, openness and empowerment when a sense of community was established and the absence of those elements when community was not established.
This study examined factors representing various stakeholders in distance learning; the student (learning style), the teacher (teaching styles), the instructional designer (interactivity), and the institution (delivery design) to provide a broad view of some of the factors affecting a student's sense of community in distance learning. The results of this study are used to present scenarios for optimizing the potential for students' sense of community in distance learning and are presented as the basis for more detailed future research.
