Student's Perspectives in a Web-Based Distance Education Course.

This case study examined student perspectives in regard to a Web-based distance education graduate course in language education at a major university in the United States. Data were obtained from the six students enrolled in the course through observation by the instructor, interviews, and review of course documents and assignments. Four of the students reported only minimal experience with computers, and two were international students. It was found that student frustrations with the course could be grouped into three categories: lack of prompt feedback, ambiguous instructions on the Web, and technical problems. Students also reported feeling overwhelmed by the number of e-mail messages they were required to read and reply to in regard to the course. It is concluded that the students' frustrations in the course inhibited their educational opportunity. (Contains 59 references.) (MDM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Students' perspectives in a web-based distance education course Running head: Students' perspectives Noriko Hara, Ph.D. Candidate Department of Instructional Systems Technology School of Education, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana 47405-1006 nhara@indiana.edu (812) 857-8392 Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Mid-Western Educational Research Association in Chicago, IL., October 14-17, 1998. 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Noriko Fara TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Ct This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. RE:

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