Lifelong Learning at the Technion: Graduate Students' Perceptions of and Experiences in Distance Learning.

Abstract

This study examined the development of two Distance Learning (DL) courses and their effect on students' perceptions and learning experiences. Our study included about 260 science and engineering graduate students. Among them, 105 students were divided into two research groups: oncampus students (N=70) and DL students (N=35). These two groups served as a traditional classroom setting and an online setting, respectively. Data was collected through an online questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions and analyzed via the mixed methods model. Findings indicated that the DL students asserted positive perceptions of their learning experiences compared to the on-campus students. Female DL students were more confident about their ability to communicate with their classmates and lecturers in comparison to their male DL peers. We also found that younger students, in comparison to older ones, held higher positive opinions about the quality of the DL courses and the support they received from the lecturer and the teaching assistants. Content analysis revealed four main categories related to lifelong learning via DL: cognitive and professional skills, affective learning, social interactions, and resource management. Learning about students' perceptions of and experiences in DL is an important step toward improving the next generation of online courses in higher education.