STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF MATHEMATICS IN MATHEMATICS IN

THE ONLINE MEDIUMTHE ONLINE MEDIUM

Keith NabbKeith Nabb

Moraine Valley Community CollegeMoraine Valley Community College

October 2007October 2007

GENERAL CONCERNSGENERAL CONCERNS

Failure and withdrawal rates are Failure and withdrawal rates are causing educational leaders to make causing educational leaders to make difficult decisionsdifficult decisions (IHEP, 1999; Kember, 1989; (IHEP, 1999; Kember, 1989; MacGregor, 2002; Ryan, 2002; Weems, 2002)MacGregor, 2002; Ryan, 2002; Weems, 2002)

Problems with quality control (related Problems with quality control (related to challenges in defining distance to challenges in defining distance education)education) (Keegan, 1996)(Keegan, 1996)

Student views are mixedStudent views are mixed (Hillstock, 2005; Li (Hillstock, 2005; Li & Akins, 2005; Marland et al., 1984)& Akins, 2005; Marland et al., 1984)

WHY PERCEPTIONS?WHY PERCEPTIONS?

Online and in-class formats differ in a Online and in-class formats differ in a number of ways, one being the number of ways, one being the student role student role (Keegan, 1996; Holmberg, 1989)(Keegan, 1996; Holmberg, 1989)

Students may have increased Students may have increased responsibilities in distance education responsibilities in distance education settings settings (Johnson et al., 1999)(Johnson et al., 1999)

The student voice, even when heard, The student voice, even when heard, is often ignored is often ignored (Young, 2006; Tricker et al., 2001)(Young, 2006; Tricker et al., 2001)

AN ILLUSTRATION AN ILLUSTRATION

Percent of C or Better Grades by Type of Delivery

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Semester

Per

cen

tag

e

Traditional

Online

RESEARCH QUESTIONRESEARCH QUESTION

Is there an association between students’ Is there an association between students’

perceptions of mathematics taught at a perceptions of mathematics taught at a

distance to achievement and/or satisfaction?distance to achievement and/or satisfaction?

Online Mathematics

Teaching & Learning Perceptions

Achievement Satisfaction

INSTRUMENTSINSTRUMENTS

Perception Inventory for Online Perception Inventory for Online Mathematics (PIOM)Mathematics (PIOM)

Satisfaction SurveySatisfaction Survey Average across three Unit Exams Average across three Unit Exams

METHODSMETHODS

Regression?Regression? Limitations in Likert scale (PIOM & Limitations in Likert scale (PIOM &

Satisfaction Survey)Satisfaction Survey) Analysis by individual questions Analysis by individual questions

(interpretation is clearer and more (interpretation is clearer and more meaningful)meaningful)

Mann-Whitney U testMann-Whitney U test

PARTICIPANTSPARTICIPANTS

Two Online Math Classes

(n = 50)

Calculus(n = 18)

Algebra(n = 32)

Two online math courses (n = 25)Two online math courses (n = 25)

Calculus (n = 12)Calculus (n = 12)Algebra (n = 13)Algebra (n = 13)

68% lost from withdrawal68% lost from withdrawal12% forgot their code12% forgot their code8% incomplete data8% incomplete data8% problems with self-reporting8% problems with self-reporting4% not willing to reveal grades4% not willing to reveal grades

THE “R” STUDENTTHE “R” STUDENT

What is the definition of an “R” What is the definition of an “R” student?student?

Do these students have different Do these students have different perceptions of online mathematics?perceptions of online mathematics?

Why are they taking this course?Why are they taking this course? Are these students using online Are these students using online

courses as a framework for “familiar courses as a framework for “familiar learning” instead of “new learning”?learning” instead of “new learning”?

R STUDENTSR STUDENTS

Repeating Nonrepeating Total

Calculus 8 4 12

Intermediate Algebra 7 6 13

PIOM ITEMSPIOM ITEMS

PIOM1I expect the workload in this class to be lighter in comparison to math taught in the traditional format

(face-to-face with a teacher).

PIOM2I feel that this class should be easier than the

same class taught in the traditional format.

PIOM3I will probably spend less time studying/learning the

material in this class than I would in a traditional math class.

PIOM4I feel that online learning of mathematics is better than

the traditional format.

SATISFACTION SURVEYSATISFACTION SURVEY

S1 Overall, I was satisfied with this course.

S2 I would recommend this class to a friend.

S3Given the opportunity, I would take another

mathematics course in the online format.

I feel that this class should be easier than the same class taught in the traditional format.

(n = 25)(n = 25)1 = Strongly Agree . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 = Strongly Disagree1 = Strongly Agree . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 = Strongly Disagree

5.004.003.002.001.00

PIOM2

100.00

90.00

80.00

70.00

60.00

50.00

40.00

30.00

20.00

10.00

0.00

A

I feel that online learning of mathematics is better than the traditional format.

(n = 25)

1 = Strongly Agree . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 = Strongly Disagree1 = Strongly Agree . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 = Strongly Disagree

5.004.003.002.001.00

PIOM4

100.00

90.00

80.00

70.00

60.00

50.00

40.00

30.00

20.00

10.00

0.00

A

Class 1 (Calculus) and Class 2 Class 1 (Calculus) and Class 2 (Algebra) comparison on PIOM3(Algebra) comparison on PIOM3

Mann-Whitney Test

Ranks

Class N Mean Rank Sum of RanksPIOM3 1 12 9.29 111.50 2 13 16.42 213.50 Total 25

Test Statistics(b)

PIOM3Mann-Whitney U 33.500Wilcoxon W 111.500Z -2.492Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .013Exact Sig. [2*(1-tailed Sig.)] .014(a)

a Not corrected for ties.b Grouping Variable: Class

I will probably spend less time studying/learning the material

in this class than I would in a traditional math class.

Class 1 (R students) and Class 2 Class 1 (R students) and Class 2 (Non-R students) comparison (Non-R students) comparison

on PIOM1on PIOM1Mann-Whitney Test

Ranks

Repeat N Mean Rank Sum of RanksPIOM1 1 15 9.73 146.00 2 10 17.90 179.00 Total 25

Test Statistics(b)

PIOM1Mann-Whitney U 26.000Wilcoxon W 146.000Z -2.786Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .005Exact Sig. [2*(1-tailed Sig.)] .005(a)

a Not corrected for ties.b Grouping Variable: Repeat

I expect the workload in this class to be lighter in comparison to

math taught in the traditional format (face-to-face with a teacher).

R Students vs. Non-R StudentsR Students vs. Non-R StudentsTest SummaryTest Summary

Variable of interest p-value Significant?

PIOM1 0.005 yes

PIOM2 0.000 yes

PIOM3 0.013 yes

PIOM4 0.447 no

S1 0.008 yes

S2 0.016 yes

S3 0.015 yes

Class 1 (R Students) and Class 2 Class 1 (R Students) and Class 2 (Non-R Students) comparison (Non-R Students) comparison

on Achievementon Achievement

Repeat N Mean Std. DeviationStd. Error

Mean

A 115 53.4000 15.54165

4.01284

2 10 86.0000 11.15547 3.52767

Independent Samples Test

Levene's Test for Equality of Variances

t-test for Equality of Means

F Sig. t df Sig. (2-tailed)Mean

DifferenceStd. Error Difference

95% Confidence Interval of the Difference

Lower Upper

A Equal variances assumed .086 .772 -5.708 23 .000 -32.60000 5.71142 -44.41497

-20.78503

Equal variances not assumed

-6.101 22.809 .000 -32.60000 5.34297 -43.65788 -21.54212

CONCLUSIONS/THOUGHTSCONCLUSIONS/THOUGHTS Can we build a portrait of the “successful” or Can we build a portrait of the “successful” or

“unsuccessful” online student?“unsuccessful” online student? Is it possible/plausible to predict online learning Is it possible/plausible to predict online learning

achievement? achievement? (Bernard et al., 2004)(Bernard et al., 2004)

Should we step away from causal/comparative Should we step away from causal/comparative studies and look within DE for the answers?studies and look within DE for the answers?

Is the distance ed audience noticeably different Is the distance ed audience noticeably different from the FTF audience? If so, what can from the FTF audience? If so, what can practitioners do to prepare for this unique practitioners do to prepare for this unique audience?audience?

Where is the theoretical framework? Where is the theoretical framework? (IHEP, 1999)(IHEP, 1999)

BUILDING THEORY:BUILDING THEORY:Topics at the crossroads of student perceptions Topics at the crossroads of student perceptions

of mathematics taught at a distanceof mathematics taught at a distance

Epistemological Beliefs

Perceptions & Attitudes

Dropout &Withdrawal

Rates

Qualityin DE

StudentSatisfacti

on

Misconceptions

StudentAchieveme

nt

DefiningDE

StudentVoice

Self-Efficacy &

Learning Styles

Student Perceptions

of Math taughtat a distance

Thanks for listening!Thanks for listening!

nabb@morainevalley.edunabb@morainevalley.edu