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Journal of 
Research on Technology in Education Edited by Diane McGrath, Kansas State University

formerly Journal of Research on Computing in Education
JRTE, Volume 32, Number 1, Fall 1999
Is Choice Important in Distance Learning? A Study of Student Motives for Taking Internet-Based Courses at the High School and Community College Levels

M. D. Roblyer
State University of West Georgia

Abstract

As distance learning (DL) delivery systems become more popular, institutions must make decisions about the extent to which face-to-face (FTF) courses and degree programs can and should be replaced by DL. To begin examining the implications of removing the variable of choice and offering DL-only programs, this study gathered data on factors that motivate community college and virtual high school students to choose online or traditional course formats. Findings indicate that, for students who chose DL, control over pace and timing of learning was more important; for students who chose FTF courses, interaction with instructor and students was paramount.

Contributor

M. D. Roblyer is a professor of educational technology in the Research, Media, and Technology Department at the State University of West Georgia’s College of Education. Her research interests include examining factors that affect teachers’ integration of technology into their teaching, and the impact of distance learning and other technologies on student learning. She is currently editor of the Research Windows column for ISTE’s  Learning & Leading with Technology and chair of ISTE’s publications committee. (Address: M. D. Roblyer, State University of West Georgia, College of Education, Research, Media, and Technology Department, Room 217, Carrollton, GA 30118; mroblyer@westga.edu.)

Web Links

Blumenstyk, G. (1998, July 10). Leading community colleges go national with new distance learning network.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Elbaum, B. (1998, Winter). Is the virtual high school “educational reform”?  @Concord.Org: Newsletter of the Concord Consortium [Online serial], pp. 10–11. Available: www.concord.org/library/newsletter.html.

Galusha, J. M.(1998).  Barriers to learning in distance education. [Online document]. Available: www.infrastruction.com/articles.htm. (ERIC No. ED 416 377)

Guernsey, L. (1998, March 27). Colleges debate the wisdom of having on-campus students enroll in online classes.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Healy, P. (1997, March 28). Penn State’s expansion worries competing colleges.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Hoffman, D., & Novak, T., (1998, April 17). Information Access: Bridging the racial divide on the Internet.  Science [Online serial],  280(5362). Available at: www.sciencemag.org/content/vol280/issue5362/.

Kiernan, V. (1998, April 24). Report documents role of race in who uses the World-Wide Web.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Mangan, K. (1999, January 15). Top business schools seek to ride a bull market in on-line M.B.A’s.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Selingo, J. (1998, July 17). Small, private colleges brace for competition from distance learning.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Young, J. (1998). Skeptical academics see perils in information technology.  The Chronicle of Higher Education [Online serial]. Available: http://chronicle.com.

Note. These Web sites were valid when this issue of JRCE  went to press. We have no control over these sites, though, and the Web is very volatile. Please let us know if you find a broken link, and we’ll do our best to update it.

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