Student Perceptions about a Live Interactive Telecommunications Course

Abstract

Shortage of faculty, decreased budgets, and student demand for specific courses stimulated development of live fully interactive telecommunications (ITV) courses between Colorado State University (CSU) and University of Wyoming (UW). The use of ITV for delivery of university courses can extend the geographic area served and provide opportunities to expand course offerings. We used the ITV format to deliver a course titled Agricultural Experimental Design from a live studio classroom at CSU via microwave to a distant studio classroom at UW. The ITV delivery had interactive audio and video exchange between both classrooms. We conducted a survey before and after the ITV course experience to determine if student perceptions about teaching and learning were changed by the course experience. Students perceptions at CSU about learning, classroom participation, accessibility of teachers/assistants, lack of distraction from the alternate classroom, interactions with the teacher, and overall satisfaction with the ITV format improved after the course experience, while students at UW differed in postcourse perceptions. Students at UW were less willing to ask questions and less confident about the effectiveness of ITV delivery after the course. Students at both institutions indicated a preference for courses taught in a conventional classroom rather than in an ITV setting. This survey indicated that innovative teaching methods must be developed to ensure that students at the distant site are fully integrated members of the classroom.