| Bridging the Gap: Challenges and Prescriptions for Interactive Distance Education |
| | Brindle, Margaret | Duquesne U. | mb4y@andrew.cmu.edu | (412)-681-8976 |
| | Levesque, Laurie L. | Carnegie Mellon U. | levesque@andrew.cmu.edu | (207)-439-9558 |
| | As interactive distance education gains prominence in management education, attention to how the distance mode affects the learning context and education is taking second place to the fanfare about the technology itself. We argue that a gap exists between the technology focus and the educational environment. We highlight three specific challenges posed by interactive distance education: 1) the challenge of the technology delivery; 2) the challenge of the work-site context; and 3) the challenge to the student/professor relationship. With particular focus toward novice distance educators, we address these challenges and offer prescriptions for managing these dynamics more effectively. The work is based on our MBA organizational behavior classes offered via interactive video technology to off-campus sites, and is supplemented with field observation, student surveys and interviews. Keywords: distance education,
interactive, technology |
| | Keywords: distance education; interactive; technology |
| Enhancing Business Education Using an Internet-Based Simulation: An Application to Distance Learning |
| | Hall, Jr., Owen P. | Pepperdine U. | ohall@pepperdine.edu | (310)-568-5500 |
| | Dudley, Thomas J. | Pepperdine U. | tdudley@pepperdine.edu | (310) 568-5546 |
| | The curriculum at most business schools is under increasing scrutiny, review, and revision. This is the result of the ever-increasing demand for students who can compete in the expanding global marketplace and the growing number of working adults that are returning to the classroom. Nearly simultaneously, computer business simulations have reached the state of development for significantly improving the quality of business education, especially in relationship to strategic and global thinking. These systems provide an integrated learning environment that holds particular promise for distance learning applications such as those found in many business programs. This paper outlines an approach for using an Internet-based computer business simulation to integrate and improve the curriculum and its delivery. The use of a simulation-driven curriculum provides a number of important benefits including real-time interaction on a global basis, continuous improvement of the delivery system, and an integrated learning perspective. |
| | Keywords: Business simulation; Internet-curriculum; distance learning |
| An Exploratory Study of Predictors of Student Satisfaction In Internet-based MBA Courses |
| | Arbaugh, J. B. | U. of Wisconsin, Oshkosh | arbaugh@uwosh.edu | 920-424-7189 |
| | While many business schools are experimenting with internet-based courses and programs, there is limited theoretical and empirical work to provide guidance on what technological, pedagogical, and demographic characteristics are most helpful in creating a satisfying educational experience for students taking these courses. This study incorporates work from the literatures of technology adoption and the use of technology in distance education to identify seventeen variables that could predict student satisfaction with internet-based courses. These variables were then tested using a multi-course, multi-discipline sample collected during the summer and fall of 1998.
A stepwise regression analysis showed that four variables explained eighty-four percent of the variance in student satisfaction: Perceived usefulness of the course software, perceived advantages to the course, perceived quality of the course, and frequency of logging onto the course website. While these findings are an initial step towards what determines a satisfying educational experience via the internet, they do provide some implications for business schools developing on-line courses. First, they need to make wise choices in course software selection, possibly experimenting with a variety of packages before making a final selection. Second, they need to make sure that they do as much as possible to prevent compromising the quality of their on-line courses. This suggests that they may want to select their best instructors rather than the just the first volunteers for training to teach these courses. |
| | Keywords: Internet-based courses; Student satisfaction; Technology adoption |
| Distance Learning Receptivity: The Impact of Technology, Reputation, Constraints and Learning Preferences |
| | Christensen, Edward W. | Monmouth U. | echriste@mondec.monmouth.edu | (732)571-3649 |
| | Kessler, Eric H. | Pace U. | ekessler@fsmail.pace.edu | (212)-346-1846 |
| | Anakwe, Uzoamaka P. | Pace U. | uanakwe@fsmail.pace.edu | (914) 773-3901 |
| | Recent growth in distance learning (DL) represents a significant change to management education.
Notwithstanding its importance, research on DL is at an early stage of development, particularly in understanding the impact of
technology perceptions on students' receptivity towards DL. This study of 399 students at two universities investigates the role
of perceived technology usefulness, technological familiarity and accessibility, reputation, constraints, learning preferences, and
demographic factors on prospective receptivity towards DL. The results reveal significant relationships between many of these variables
and DL-receptivity, suggesting new challenges and opportunities for educators. They also indicate that some traditionally held
assumptions, for example those regarding accessibility, reputation, and constraints, may not be valid in the new high-tech DL environment.
Implications of the findings are discussed. |
| | Keywords: Distance Learning; Technology |