Graduate Education on the Internet: An Issue of Quality and Accessibility.

This study examined faculty perceptions of accessibility and quality of graduate programs offered via the Internet. A total of 25 faculty (38 percent return rate) with experience teaching graduate courses via the Internet completed an e-mailed survey. It was found that half of the respondents had less than one year of experience teaching graduate courses using the Internet, and that nearly all also taught college courses in a traditional classroom setting. The largest groups of respondents taught graduate courses in education (32 percent), communications (20 percent), and the liberal arts or humanities (16 percent). Over two-thirds of the respondents reported that they were satisfied with their preparation time and efforts in teaching via the Internet. Respondents indicated that course or program administration was the most important environmental factor when considering course quality and accessibility. A high level of satisfaction was reported by most of the respondents in regard to the quality of the courses taught via the Internet. Data tables show results of the survey. (Contains 10 references.) (MDM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Graduate Education on the Internet: An Issue of Quality and Accessibility Joseph T. Baxter, Ed.D. instructor of Computer Science Dalton College 213 North College Drive Dalton, GA 30720 (706) 272-4553 Michael T. Miller, Ed.D. Associate Professor and Coordinator Higher Education Administration Box 870302 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (205) 348-1170 e-mail: mmiller@bamaed.ua.edu Running Head: Internet Graduate Programs U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and tmprovement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) ig/This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. o Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 2 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY