Factors Influencing On-line Learning

To explore the factors influencing on-line learning, the author sampled the students taking an on-line information technology course in a Hong Kong higher education institution and adopted a sequential explanatory design of mixed methods, in which a quantitative phase was followed by a qualitative phase. In the first quantitative phase, correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between the potential factors and the students learning performance. As a follow-up to have a better understanding of the quantitative findings, some of the students were interviewed in the second qualitative phase. The results of both phases reveal how the factors influence the students on-line learning. These results provide good suggestions for on-line education improvements, and should be especially useful to educationists or any professionals who are concerned with the on-line education quality.

Autorentext

Simon Wong is a lecturer at the Hong Kong Community College of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He enjoys teaching computer programming, Internet applications and information technology concepts. In addition, he is interested in information technology education research.