An Exploratory Assessment Of Distance And On Ground Delivery Of Business, Math And Engineering Technology Courses
- Conference
- Location
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Publication Date
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June 22, 2008
- Start Date
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June 22, 2008
- End Date
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June 25, 2008
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Engineering Technology
- Page Count
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19
- Page Numbers
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13.179.1 - 13.179.19
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--3606
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/3606
- Download Count
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503
Paper Authors
Meral Anitsal Tennessee Tech University
Dr. M. Meral Anitsal is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Tennessee Tech University. Dr. Anitsal holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her current research interests focus on measurement of customer value for products and services, especially educational services in active learning environment.
Ismet Anitsal Tennessee Tech University
Dr. Ismet Anitsal is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Tennessee Tech University. Dr. Anitsal holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His current research interests focus on customer productivity and customer value in services marketing, specifically at technology-based self-service environments.
Ismail Fidan Tennessee Tech University
Dr. Ismail Fidan is an Associate Professor in the Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Department, College of Engineering, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN. Dr. Fidan received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1996. His teaching and research interests are in computer-integrated design and manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and distance learning.
Bonita Barger Tennessee Tech University
Dr. Bonita Barger is an Associate Professor in Decision Science Management in the College of Business at Tennessee Tech University. She received her Doctorate in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University. Her teaching interests include International Management, Leadership and Strategic Management at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels.
Michael Allen Tennessee Tech University
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
An Exploratory Assessment of Distance and On-Ground Delivery of Business, Math and Engineering Technology Courses
Abstract
This exploratory and interdisciplinary study illustrates students’ assessments on teamwork, creativity, communication, and critical thinking skills developed in multiple study areas across the campus of Tennessee Tech University located in Cookeville, Tennessee. Specifically, this illustration covers business (management and marketing), mathematics, and engineering technology courses that were delivered both traditionally on-ground and fully online distance over a period of six years. A total of 781 students were enrolled and 577 students responded the IDEATM survey. Total usable sample size was 549 with an overall response rate of 70.3 percent in 31 courses from 2000 to 2006. The paper initially introduces individual courses in each discipline with their course objectives and teaching methods, and later compares the aggregated mean scores for selected areas as well as distance and on-ground courses. Finally, authors highlight some important similarities and differences on distance and on-ground courses based on the findings of the study and their individual experiences. The study concludes with some insights for future research avenues.
Introduction
Technological advances have increasingly offered numerous educational tools and techniques that can be utilized in both traditional and virtual classrooms. Ten years ago, while distance learning programs were offered by 80 percent of the schools1, now they are utilized by virtually all major universities in the United States. Indeed, the programs and courses offered fully online through Tennessee Tech University have increased almost 500 percent in the last five years2. Typical students of earlier generations of distance education were only adults seeking advanced education and training at home or on the job whose multiple responsibilities or physical circumstances prevented attendance at a traditional institution. Now anyone is potentially a distance learner.
Distance learning could be defined as an educational system in which the student is formally enrolled in a university but receives instruction at some remote site. It is not merely a geographic separation of learner and teacher. Rather, there are pedagogical concepts that lead to special patterns of learner and teacher behaviors. Traditionally, correspondence has been the primary delivery medium, but the delivery systems most common today are web-based utilizing webcams, Internet technologies, audio, and computer technologies.
There are various publications on the advantages and disadvantages of distance and face-to-face learning3, 4, 5, 6. Several key considerations emerge that contribute to the success of distance learning programs — student and faculty/administrative issues.
Anitsal, M., & Anitsal, I., & Fidan, I., & Barger, B., & Allen, M. (2008, June), An Exploratory Assessment Of Distance And On Ground Delivery Of Business, Math And Engineering Technology Courses Paper presented at 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10.18260/1-2--3606
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