Transactional Distance among Open University Students: How Does it Affect the Learning Process?

• Authors: Amanda Kassandrinou , Christina Angelaki , Ilias Mavroidis
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This study examines the presence of transactional distance among students, the factors affecting it, as well as the way it influences the learning process of students in a blended distance learning setting in Greece. The present study involved 12 postgraduate students of the Hellenic Open University (HOU). A qualitative research was conducted, using information collected via individual semi-structured interviews. Content analysis of the gathered information provided evidence regarding the existence of student-student transactional distance for several reasons, such as geographical and relatively limited face to face interaction. The role of the tutor as well as of the course provider were also examined in this respect. Finally the study indicated that the existence of perceived transactional distance among the students has a negative effect on their learning process.

Keywords

EN

student-student transactional distance; blended course; distance learning; communication; interaction

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 26-42

Dates

published

2014-07-01

online

2014-12-11

Contributors

author

Amanda Kassandrinou

• Hellenic Open University, School of Humanities [www.eap.gr], Patras, Greece

author

Christina Angelaki

• Hellenic Open University, School of Humanities [www.eap.gr], Patras, Greece

author

Ilias Mavroidis

• Hellenic Open University, School of Humanities [www.eap.gr], Patras, Greece

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/eurodl-2014-0002