Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
below 4.0, but none had a mean below 3.0. The issues with a mean of at least 4.0 are displayed
in Table 6. The issue with the highest mean as to importance was “knowledge gained.”
Ratings that a Characteristic is More Likely True for
Online Versus On-campus
For the second section, students were asked to consider the same issues as in the
previous section but to indicate the likelihood that each issue was a characteristic of an online
versus on-campus course, with 1 representing “much more likely in an online course” and
5 representing “much more likely in an on-campus course.” A mean was calculated to identify
which issues were considered much more likely in an online course (defined as a mean of no
greater than 2.0) and which were considered much more likely in an on-campus course
(defined as a mean of at least 4.0). A majority of the issues had means below 4.0, but only one
had a mean below 3.0. That one issue, “submitting assignments electronically,” had a mean
of 2.48, which did not place it in the “much more likely” category for an online course. The
issues with a mean of at least 4.0 are displayed in Table 7.
A cluster plot or “scatter diagram” was developed to illustrate the results for all the
variables used in the study. As shown in Figure 1, all but one of the items were clustered in
the upper right corner, which represents the section for higher importance and higher
likelihood that the characteristic would be in an on-campus course. As discussed above, the
only item in the left side of the diagram was “submitting assignments electronically.”
Table 6. Issues considered important in making course environment decisions
Issue
Mean
Knowledge gained
4.35
Skills acquired
4.29
Access to information (resource materials)
4.20
Time required to complete coursework
4.16
Costs of tuition and fees
4.13
Schedule flexibility to accommodate work
responsibilities
4.13
Table 7. Issues that are much more characteristic of an on-campus course
Issue
Mean
Opportunity for live interaction and discussion among students
4.07
On-campus exams
4.05
Opportunity for live interaction and discussion between faculty
and students
4.04
