Student Expectations Regarding Online Learning: Implications For Distance Learning Programs

Abstract

What are student expectations in a traditional course versus a distance learning course? The authors analyze student course selection and expected outcomes from data collected in an undergraduate marketing course at a public university in the Northeast. Key findings reveal that students generally have a favorable predisposition towards online coursework despite their beliefs that online courses require more work and have lower learning outcomes. Further, this case study provides an initial step in better understanding student expectations in online courses as well as in the traditional classroom.