INITIAL FINDINGS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SURVEY

Increasingly, the benefits of using networked technologies in education are exploited within all curricula areas. As online software applications, databases, and Internet services mature, so does educators‘ use of these media for teaching and learning. A key question to be addressed is what are the educational impacts of this increased use of online applications, communication tools, and services on the educational experiences of learners? The purpose of this paper is to report on the initial findings from the development and implementation of the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLLES). OLLES is designed to investigate participant perceptions of five relationships—interface and media interactions, peer and tutor relationships, and reflective activities—associated with the online learning experiences of learners. The paper concludes by arguing that the data generated from the deployment of OLLES allow conclusions to be drawn about the impact of e-learning on the educational experiences of participants in an efficient and economical way.