Context / probleemstelling of aanleiding

Context/probleemstelling of aanleiding:
Online education still faces serious challenges, such as a lack of interaction. Insight from previous studies [1] revealed that in order to improve quality of online interpersonal interaction (QOII), focus needs to shift towards providing more guidance for students, teaching them how to interact, and managing their expectations. Improving online interaction is also thought to lead to better learning outcomes, while students’ satisfaction with their studies is believed to be linked to their expectations [2].
In this study, we aimed to design a “Teach the students” intervention to improve QOII and assess whether students who received the intervention report better QOII, satisfaction, and perceived learning compared to students who did not. We also aimed to investigate the relationship between QOII and student satisfaction, and perceived learning.
Beschrijving van de interventie/innovatie:
We conducted a randomized controlled trial with students from LUMC. Students were invited to attend an online education session, in groups of 3-5. Students were split in experimental (<i>N</i> = 14) and control groups (<i>N</i> = 14), with the first receiving an intervention focused on the importance of online interaction, setting online interaction goals, and learning netiquette. The participants were then asked to fill out a questionnaire comprising of questions from the Community of Inquiry (for QOII) scale and from the Student Learning and Satisfaction in Online Learning Environments scale (for student satisfaction and perceived learning). Twenty-seven participants filled out the questionnaire.
Ervaringen/analyse van de implementatie:
Comparing QOII, student satisfaction, and perceived learning across the two groups was done by running independent T tests. The results showed no statistical difference between the groups. Pearson’s Correlation was used to investigate the relationship between QOII and student satisfaction, and perceived learning. There was a statistically significant correlation found between QOII and student satisfaction [<i>r</i>(25) = 0.718; <i>p</i> <0.001] and between QOII and perceived learning [<i>r</i>(25) = 0.606; <i>p</i> <0.001].
Lessons learned (implicaties voor de praktijk):
This is the first study researching an evidence-based online interaction intervention aiming students. Our results show moderate to strong correlations between QOII and student satisfaction, and perceived learning. Efforts to improve QOII should shift focus to an evidence-based approach, with design-based research being a suitable choice to continue testing and improving “teach the students” interventions.
Referenties (max. 2):
[1] Lupascu, A., Hendriks, R.A., van der Hage, J.A., de Jong, P.G.M. (2024). How to define, measure, and improve quality of online interaction in higher education: A scoping review. Manuscript submitted for publication.
[2] Landrum, B., Bannister, J., Garza, G., & Rhame, S. (2020). A class of one: Students’ satisfaction with online learning. <i>Journal of Education for Business</i>, 96(2), 82–88.