The Online Classroom: Differences In Perception Between Business Students And Non-Business Students

Abstract

The authors discuss the results of a questionnaire given to 893 undergraduate college students regarding distance-learning courses, which reveal a number of differences in perception between business and non-business students.  The authors suggest possible reasons for these differences, and make recommendations to university administrators and faculty as to what could be done to help reduce or limit these differences.  The results of this study should be of interest to university administrators, faculty members, and students who plan to offer, teach, or take online courses in the future.  In addition, this information may be helpful to university administrators in deciding which types of courses at their universities might be offered online.  Faculty who are considering teaching one or more online courses may find the results of this study helpful in structuring these online offerings.  This research is intended to give students a realistic expectation of what to anticipate from distance learning courses based on information we have found and studies we have done.