An analysis of learners' attitudes toward online interaction in a web-based course

Abstract EN

The purpose of this study was to measure learners attitudes toward online interaction in a Web-based course.

By measuring learners’ attitudes, the study attempts to find whether online interaction promotes learning among learners.

In view of that, the study focuses on the variables of gender, age, Grade-Point Average (GPA), years of experience with the Internet, and frequency of accessing the Web-based course.

The study surveyed 440 students who were enrolled in an accounting Web-based course offered by the Department of Accounting at the Hashemite University.

Students were taught in a flexible mode of instruction.

A Likert-type instrument was designed to collect information about learner’s attitudes toward online interaction in the Web-based course.

In addition to descriptive analyses, a five-way ANOVA was conducted to answer the research questions in this study.

The findings of the study indicated that overall students positively perceived that online interaction in the Web-based course promoted learning.

Gender, age, GPA, and years of experience with the Internet were not significant factors.

However, there were significant differences among levels of learners’ frequency of accessing the Web-based course in regard to their attitudes toward online interaction.

In general, learners who had accessed the Web-based course more frequently indicated significantly higher positive attitudes toward online interaction.

In light of these findings, this study recommends that students enrolled in Web-based courses need to be encouraged to engage in all means of online interaction available in these courses in order to promote their learning.