2023 ISCAP Proceedings: Abstract Presentation
Student Learning in an Online Environment
Lisa Kovalchick
Pennsylvania Western University - California
Abstract
Many authors have studied online learning and compared it to face-to-face instruction. Peslak, Kovalchick, Wang, and Kovacs (2023) surveyed students across three universities, who were enrolled in Computer Information Systems courses and utilized two-step cluster analysis to build profiles of a typical online student and a typical face-to-face student. In comparison to face-to-face students, the authors found that online students are slightly older, exhibit better organization and prioritization skills, are more self-reliant, and, thus, do not heavily rely on classroom interaction and are less inclined to learn using hands-on methods (Peslak, et al., 2023). Most universities offer a mixture of face-to-face and online courses and we know that sometimes students need to take courses in a format that they do not prefer. These student profiles can be used to assist faculty in delivering online courses to students, by helping them to understand which students learn best in an online environment. This knowledge will also help faculty to develop online courses that meet the needs of students who prefer online learning. In addition, it provides faculty with insights into characteristics and attitudes of students who prefer face-to-face instruction; so that those faculty can understand how to assist students who prefer face-to-face instruction to excel in an online environment. In this study, the author used the student profiles presented by Peslak, et al. to modify an existing online course to enhance student experiences with online learning. The modifications to the course along with the results of those changes including student academic performance and student feedback obtained through survey results will be presented.