The Importance of Interaction in Web-Based Education: A Program-level Case Study of Online MBA Courses
Bude Su
Curtis J. Bonk
Richard J. Magjuka
Xiaojing Liu
Seung-hee Lee
Indiana University
Abstract
Though interaction is often billed as a significant component of successful online learning, empirical evidence of its importance as well as practical guidance or specific interaction techniques continue to be lacking. In response, this study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate how instructors and students perceive the importance of online interaction and which instructional techniques enhance those interactions. Results show that instructors perceive the learner-instructor and learner-learner interactions as key factors in high quality online programs. While online students generally perceive interaction as an effective means of learning, they vary with regard to having more interaction in online courses. Such variations seem to be associated with differences in personality or learning style. The present study also shows that instructors tend to use technologies and instructional activities that they are familiar with or have relied on in traditional classroom settings. When it comes to learning more sophisticated technologies or techniques, instructors vary significantly in their usage of new approaches.
About the Author(s)...
Bude Su is a Ph.D. candidate in Instructional Systems Technology. She is a research fellow at Kelley Direct Online MBA program at Indiana University. Previously she was the National Director of International Education and Resource Network in China (http://www.iearn.org ). Her major research interests include online teaching and learning, technology integration in education, organizational behavior and knowledge management. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dr. Curt J. Bonk is a Professor of Educational Psychology as well as Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University. Dr. Bonk is also a Senior Research Fellow with the DOD's Advanced Distributed Learning Lab. He has received the CyberStar Award from the Indiana Information Technology Association, Most Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. Distance Learning Association, and Most Innovative Teaching in a Distance Education Program from the State of Indiana. Dr. Bonk is in high demand as a conference keynote speaker and workshop presenter. He is President of CourseShare and SurveyShare. More information about Dr. Bonk is available at http://mypage.iu.edu/~cjbonk/. He may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dr. Richard J. Magjuka is a professor of business administration in the Kelley School of Business. He has been the faculty chair of Kelley Direct since its inception. His primary research interests are the design and delivery of effective online education and in online pedagogy. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Xiaojing Liu is Ph.D. candidate in Instructional Systems Technology and a research fellow at Kelley Direct Online Program at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her research interest focuses on online learning, information systems, communities of practices, and knowledge management. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dr. Seung-hee Lee is a researcher at Kelley Direct Online Program within Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Dr. Lee earned her doctorate from Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea in 2003. She worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Indiana University for one year from September 2003- December 2004. Previously, she had worked in the Center of Learning and Teaching of Korean National Open University in Seoul, where she consulted promoted faculty development, and instructional design and development for e-learning. Major research interests of Dr. Lee are online collaboration, reflective technologies, e-learning in higher education, and online moderating/mentoring. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
