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COMPILATION OF ACADEMIC TEXT

By:
RUBYLENE S. HERNANDEZ 12 – STEM E
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page 1

Table of Contents 2

Introduction 3

Samples of Academic Text 4

Essay 5
Concept Paper 7
Reaction Paper 9
Position Paper 11
Report Paper 13
Research Paper
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INTRODUCTION

Academic writing is arguably the most important skill in academic contexts, since writing is the main method of
academic communication. It is also the most difficult skill for most students to master. This page considers
what academic writing is, looking in detail at the main features of academic writing, as well as suggesting ways
to develop academic writing.
A highlight from a collection of six academic texts. By emphasizing their content and structures, this sample will
assist you in evaluating and grasping how these six academic texts differ from one another. This collection will
cover six different types of academic texts.
The general purpose of academic writing is to present information in order to display a clear understanding of
a particular subject. There are different types of academic writing however, and each of them has its specific
purpose (explain, describe, retell, persuade, etc.) Structure is an important feature of academic writing.
A well-structured text enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic writing a
clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text. Furthermore, in many university
assignments the correct use of structure is part of the final assessment. Most academic texts follow
established structures. This page describes some common structures in academic writing: the three-part
essay structure and the IMRaD structure. Structure should be considered on all levels of text so you will also
find information on structuring paragraphs. Given the relatively specialist nature of academic writing, it can
seem daunting when you first begin.
Through the provided samples for each of these six academic works, this compilation will provide thoughts on
what the differences, similarities, and how to designate which one is which.
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ESSAY

The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on The World

Ever since the dawn of humanity, man has been obsessed with creating machines capable of making our lives
easier. Today, we are endlessly surrounded by machines. We depend on these machines in our everyday life,
even if you don’t think you do. All these everyday machines are minor examples of artificial intelligence (AI).
From video games to air conditioning to traffic lights, these all work using so-called “smart” technology.
Computing science is the sector responsible for the exponential advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Their
goal, to create human-like machines capable of making their own decisions and machine learning. Today the
human brain has already been overtaken in terms of computational power. Furthermore, computer speeds are
now extraordinarily faster than they were 20 years ago. Artificial intelligence is a widely-debated topic and the
main fears are that there seems to be no limit in terms of AI’s capabilities. Most people don’t know the real
meaning of artificial intelligence. So, what is the true meaning? Intelligence isn’t solving complex problems.
Calculators aren’t intelligent; all their “knowledge” has been written and pre-programmed by a human. They are
incapable of learning anything new. They are predictable. Intelligence is the ability to think on its own without
pre-programmed data. For example, the ability to adapt its procedures by decision making to execute its task
better and faster, therefore, making its applications more efficient. The most well-known application of AI is in
robotics. Most people often associate this with many Hollywood films. Which portray a negative perception of AI.
from star trek to terminator people engage themselves in science fictional realities with AI-driven robots. In the
current world, those robots are still fictional. However, AI robotics are used in countless other applications
currently. But every day these machines are evolving. For example, car manufacturers' assembly lines are now
assisted by robots for jobs that require strength. But this is just the beginning. Soon, we could begin to see AI
controlling entire factories. Like one big brain inter-linked by a central computer. Capable of thinking on its own
and correcting itself, hugely reducing manufacturing costs, by eliminating the need for human operators.
However, is this a good thing? A study conducted by Frey and Osborne (2013) concluded that 47% of
employment in the United States (US) is at risk due to AI-powered automation. So even though the future may
look more efficient, almost half of the US could lose their current jobs. Nevertheless, by this point, new jobs and
careers will most likely be available to maintain this new era of automation. Many may ask, is this the next step
in human evolution or the downfall of civilisation?

CONCEPT PAPER
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Bullying

The bill, now a law, defines acts of bullying in schools and authorizes these institutions to impose sanctions on
student bullies. Bullying is the most common form of violence in schools, not only in elementary and secondary
schools but also in tertiary level schools may it be state universities, school foundations or private colleges and
universities. Students are ridiculed, taunted, teased, mocked and made fun of by fellow students who think or
feel that they can get away with such behavior because they are superior, or greater than the students they
bully. Schools and its administrators are always in a dilemma as to whether they would address bullies In the
amp’s. In previous news, a student from a very prestigious private school was a victim when a father of a
classmate brought a gun In school toted It to a student Inside the classroom. This was a very controversial
Issue that may have somehow hastened the passing of the anti;bullying law. A recent news also tackled about
bullying in which a 12 year – old victim committed suicide by hanging herself due to depression from being
bullied by her classmates. It is therefore imperative for schools to come up with programs to promote such law
and to make students aware of what they could do about the issue. It is the aim of this research to find out how
knowledgeable or to determine the General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Incorporated students’
level of awareness about this matter and how they could help deter future bullies. Students’ level of awareness
will best serve as a basis on the development of possible intervention programs for the institution to prevent
their students’ sense of security. Also, this study will answer what are the common grounds and Impacts of
bullying among the students of General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Incorporated. Target
Respondents: Target respondents of the study are students in college level enrolled at and General Locale: The
area of coverage for the study is limited to the college students from General Santos Doctors’ Medical School
Foundation Incorporated. CONCEPT PAPER Objectives of the Study: The goal of this study is to investigate the
main cause and the impacts of bullying and to know the level of awareness on bullying among the students of
General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Inc. , thereby improving the knowledge of students as well
as the instructors and administrators of the institution in implementing intervention programs against bullying.
The objectives of this study are: 1 . ) To know the level of awareness on bullying among the students of General
Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Inc,. . ) To empirically investigate the main cause and impact of
bullying among the students of General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Inc,. 3. ) To make the
students aware about the cause and impact of bullying. 4. ) To provide conclusions and recommendations for
the instructors, administrators as well as the counselors of the institution in implementing intervention programs
against bullying. Background: Gouges, Kruger and Burger (2003:6) describe the teenage years as challenging
for many adolescents. The school environment often contributes to the challenges through learners who negate
some of their peers’ basic human rights. Most cases are among elementary pupils and high school students but
it is among the college level students in which serious cases of bullying happen. Pigskin (2003:555) mentions
that, “Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem that can have negative consequences for the general school
climate and for the right of the students to learn in a safe environment without fear. Horned and Standardizes
(2003:431) note that almost every adult in the United States can remember a childhood experience of school
aggression and almost every child can remember being a victim, a bully or a bystander to the bullying. Furnish
(2003:9) mentions that bullying in school causes widespread negative experiences such as misery, distress,
fear, anxiety, anger and helplessness. According to Hammond (2006:14), “Educationists are reporting that
violence amongst students is increasing and instructors as well as the counselors are complaining about the
violent character and seductive habits of so many of the students they are assigned to work with. ” Over the
years, abundant studies have been conducted about bullying but most are focused on what are the effects of
bullying in the different aspects of one’s life. Seldom are the studies on how to avoid and limit bullying. And this
is the sole reason why the researchers have come up with this kind of study. The researchers are not only
interested to state the grounds and impacts of bullying among students in General Santos Doctors’ Medical
School Foundation Incorporated but also articulacy to the level of awareness on bullying among these students.
It is interesting to identify this level of awareness amongst the students for it will be useful as a basis of the
development of an intervention program for students of General Santos Doctors’ Medical School Foundation
Incorporated to improve not only their sense of security but most of all their knowledge on what bullying is all
about 1 . What is the main cause of bullying among college students? 2. ) What are the grounds of bullying? 3. )
What are the impacts of bullying among college students? 4. ) Are some dents more likely to be bullied than
others? 5. ) Are there differences in bullying experiences of girls and boys? 6. ) Does bullying cause health
problems? 7. ) Why don’t bullied students tell? 8. ) What are the feelings of the bystanders? 9. ) What can be
done to stop bullying? 10. ) What problems can victims come across after bullying? 11 Does society see
bullying as a major problem today? 2. ) Does the level of awareness on bullying among students contribute to
cease / trigger bullying? Methods: Participants Sampling of study participants will utilize Stratified Random
sampling techniques. Research participants will be drawn from the bona fide students of General Santos
Doctors’ Medical School Foundation Incorporated in General Santos City, North Someone, Bullying, General
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Santos City during the first semester of school year 2013 – 2014 and their family members. Measures For the
study, the researchers will use applied research. By tackling the problem of bullying among college students, it
is hoped that the data that will be collected will help practitioners who deal with bullying as well as guide
adjustments of existing policies and programs. Another reason that the researchers deem it necessary to use
applied research is that knowledge does exist about bullying among college students as well as the fact that
bullying has a great impact. The researchers will use the quantitative – descriptive design (Boucher & De Voss,
2005:137). This design is described by the authors as more quantitative in nature and requires questionnaires
as a data collection method. The questionnaire is the most suitable method of data collection for this research
due to the sensitive nature of the study. The type of quantitative descriptive design which the researchers will
use is the randomized cross – sectional survey design. This type of design is described by Boucher and De
Voss (2005:137) as one of two designs most commonly used in surveys. The most suitable data collection
method for the research is the questionnaire. Stardom (2005:166) states that the main objective of a
questionnaire is to obtain many facts and opinions from people who are informed about an issue. Kumar
(2005:126) defines the questionnaire as: “a written list of questions, the answers to which are recorded by the
respondents. In a questionnaire, respondents read the questions, interpret what is expected and write down the
answer. The type of questionnaire that will be used is the group – administered questionnaire. Delbert
(2005:169) describes this type of questionnaire as one which is completed by those present in the group. The
researchers will ask the respondents to spread themselves out while answering the questions to be included for
the study are a combination of closed questions and multiple – choice questions. The reason for this is that after
reviewing the literature the subject of bullying had been studied substantially and a decision was made to use
closed questions. The researchers are of the opinion that it would be important to use multiple – choice
questions as these types of questions are used when the information can be divided into hard and fast
categories. Once the data is collected from the questionnaires that were answered and returned by the
respondents, the data will be encoded and statistics will be used to interpret. Procedure Data collection will
triangulate qualitative research methods (namely individual in- depth interviews, surveys and participant
observation) with systematic literature review. All interviews and discussions will be recorded, transcribed
verbatim, entered into the computer and subjected to analysis. In-depth interviews shall also be conducted to
extract information from the participants regarding their awareness on bullying. Work Plan The study will start
with the identification of respondents from the students of General Santos Doctors Medical School Foundation
Inc,. Survey questionnaires shall be used to gather data and interviews shall be conducted to validate the
responses and to obtain other information relevant to the study. All ethical considerations shall be considered
and respondents shall be briefed as to the background of the study upon submission of the answered
questionnaires.

REACTION PAPER

Thoroughly Modern Millie, a Musical

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Thoroughly Modern Millie, a MusicalAs an introduction, it may be observed that the milieu of contemporary
appreciation to the arts typifies the rediscovery of art forms in the past, from which the 21st century artists tends
to revive the richness and ingenuity of an art from a certain period of civilization. Thus, it can be exemplified by
the very engaging story ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan in 2002 which was a
remake of the same theatrical production way back in 1922, and evolved in various presentations from a movie
to a musical show.This reaction paper aims to provide insightful appreciation in the recreation of ‘Thoroughly
Modern Millie’ as a musical show of Broadway in New York, relating how the contemporary “feel” to the
presentation depicts post-modernism and expressionism according to the audience’s level of understanding. For
the purposes of this study, the Broadway musical of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ will be analyzed. It can be said
that the play has a contemporary feel to it, in varying levels, and a use of post-modernism with expressionism
were observable from the play. Thus the succeeding discussions will first expound the synopsis of the musical
show, and analyzing the details to relate the hypothetical question: “Is the play a contemporary piece?”Based on
the 2009 electronic archive of Music Theatre International (MTI), ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ is a musical play
that is set in New York City during the 1900s towards 1922. Accordingly, a young lady named Millie Dillmount
just moved to the city from Kansas in search of a better life. This was the time when women were starting to
enter the workforce, and Millie is a representation of the women who took courage and tried the fulfillment and
rewards out of working. Along the way, Millie has experienced difficulties while adapting in the city, wherein her
determination seemed to undergo an acid test when she was robbed of personal valuables upon setting-foot in
New York. Despite the bad experience in an unfamiliar place, Millie decided to stay in the city, and tore her
returned ticket.She struggled to get a job as a secretary and eventually took advantage of marrying her wealthy
boss. However, her plan was not simple because she happened to live in a hotel that has illegal activities on
White Slavery. Additionally, it seems like her boss does not intend to marry her. The overall plot of the story
evolves in a complicated situation of life experiences, in which circumstantial to the setting was Millie’s
unexpected falling in love with a paperclip salesman—Jimmy. At one setting of the story, Millie discovered the
hotel’s illegal activities where she was held witness by the law enforcers against the perpetrators. Then at the
final twist, Millie got married Jimmy who was nobody paper clip salesman, but turned out as an heir of a wealth
family.Reflective of the story, the setting was in the 1920s which the plot portrays the meekness or
submissiveness in the character of women. On the other hand, women in the 1920s can be also observed with
gradual ascendancy to social consciousness, of which women workers regain recognition in the workforce
surrounded by men. Likewise, women have played a vital role in the society of men, exemplifying Millie’s
awareness and understanding her life experiences. After the symbolism has been identified, the way where it is
applied through a musical will be analyzed. ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ is indeed a contemporary piece because
it is a continuing depiction in the character of women. This argument can be corroborated by the normative
claim of Shelley Essak’s electronic article '`what is Contemporary Art?’ which was published by About.Com in
2003. As cited, many empirical study-researches define contemporary art as a continuing creation of a lifetime
(1).Further, “lifetime” would also mean evolving genre where art is found and integrated within the “social
norms” of people in a certain period, like the recreation of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ in the 1960s which was
claimed as a contemporary piece of art in that period. In which case, the remake as a Broadway musical
presentation in 2002 connotes contemporary appreciation in a post-modern period.Today, contemporary women
manifest the same life experience of Millie in a more complicated world that has been ushered by technological
and industrial developments of the 21st century. Correlating that, like Millie, contemporary women have created
a new genre of adaptability from home, community, workplace and government functions, wherein many women
have not only struggled for establishing “self-identity”, but identifying herself within the social context. Again, it
can be pinpointed that Millie’s conservative character has greatly adjusted according to social norm, from which
Millie’s secretarial job for being a stenographer has changed her outlooks or lifestyles. The musical play has
largely detailed the seeming effect of social consciousness to Millie, like wearing bob-hairstyle, putting on
sophisticated makeup and a bright-colored lipstick. It shows that women of the 1900s, 1960s and at the present
time evolve in the character of women. Another point of positive reaction acknowledges the acceptance of
women towards change from inner-self and her physical environment. From this point, the YouTube.Com has
featured ‘Gimme, Gimme’ media presentation on Millie’s, and presented the video clips described as
follows:“Millie sang, “I’ve studied all the pictures, magazines, and books. I memorized the subway maps to
work…Manhattan, I’m prepared for you” (1). It may be then perceived that professional women, like Millie,
learned to adapt, and start to appreciate the things that really matter, correlating that ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’
depicts the ideas of working women and continuously depicts contemporary piece of art.The play certainly used
a combination of “Postmodernism and Expressionism”. As defined by Michael Harkavy (2006) in his
‘Expressionism’, the early 20-th century movement in art and literature is an expression of subjective feelings
and emotions (1). Also, Postmodernism is an abstract, theoretical term which describes a sociological or cultural
climate (1) The term “postmodernism” is coined by Jean-Francois Lyotard (1924-1998) as “coming both before
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and after modernism, being the reverse side of it” (2). For instance, the way the lines were sung were very much
emotional and powerful, that at times, the exaggerations were not unusual. The performers simply put out what
they felt in their roles and went on with much control in delivering their lines and singing their songs. It was also
great that the actors were full fledged professionals that the numbers did not seem “forced.”In conclusion, the
style of production of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ correlates that postmodernism was applicable because the
styles of the costumes and makeup, songs, dance numbers, and music essence were timeless. One cannot
simply put an exact time frame of when it happened, except when one identifies when it was actually made. A
person would think that it is a modern piece, and not something that happened decades ago. In most cases,
one can still claim that ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ is a contemporary art form as it combines the expressionist
and post-modernist style of art.

POSITION PAPER

Global Warming
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Contemporary Social Issues 9 December 2011 Global Warming: True or False? When one encounters the
concept and idea of global warming, we inquire a wide range of opinions, facts, assumptions, and philosophies.
As the general population of the world, the idea of our temperature of our earth may seem meaningless to
some. Although, to others global warming is a growing epidemic that is defined as the possibility of our planet
becoming too warm and becoming very dangerous for human existence. So when our population is faced to
deal with the concept of a possible ending of the human race, people are subjected to panic and fret. Studies do
indeed show that our planet is getting warmer, but is this due to global warming entirely? Our great scientists in
our country have been acquiring data for many years now, but the vote that global warming is a major epidemic
is not unanimous. In fact many scientists argue strongly against the idea, and provide their own logical
explanations on why our world is warming. With the two different sides of this growing proposed problem in our
society today, how is one common citizen supposed to choose what they believe? No matter the amount of
information provided, or how serious the matter will be, humans by general understanding will create and form
their own opinions based upon what they want and choose to believe. Global warming is attempted to be solved
and thoroughly figured out by hundreds of different scientists all over the world. These men and women are
entrusted with providing the population with solid facts to show whether or not the world is warming at an
alarming rate or if it is not. The most common answer heard over our nation, would be that global warming does
indeed exist due to us humans, and the constant gases we emit into our atmosphere. Between factories,
pollution, cars, etc. this is something that would be easily proven to be true whether in a science lab or by an
everyday person. These gases are said to have a deteriorating effect on our atmosphere, allowing heat to be
trapped, and not released when the sun is no longer present. This is also referred to as the greenhouse effect.
For a greenhouse lets light in when it is Sunday with its transparent roof and ideas, it traps the warmth that was
given from the sun inside so the proper plants and so on could grow and mature properly. While the
“greenhouse effect,” is speculated between different experts, it is believed to contribute to a slight rise in
temperature. Although the rise is not substantial, it does raise concern for our future generations on the earth.
Going against the global warming idea is not as popular as going with the idea. In fact, popularity is what gives
global warming a key right into our population, and enforces the idea to be a serious issue. After Al Gore came
out with his movie, “An Inconvenient Truth,” an uproar started for Gore recently in the election race for
president. When the public sees a popular face on television, and hears and sees them all over the media, one
can only expect to agree with what is in concern. For it is not their job to question or a sensible thing to do when
they are not a global warming expert, quite honestly, research has shown that no one can really dub themselves
as a “Global Warming Expert. Current research has shown one idea that does help falsify the idea of manmade
global warming. As stated before, the greenhouse effect explains the trapped gasses that we emit into our
atmosphere. Now one of these gasses is Carbon Dioxide, or in shorter terms Co2. It has been said by Global
Warming activists that carbon levels in our atmosphere contribute to the heating up of our planet. Right now in
America, our Carbon Dioxide levels are at an all time high. This is due mostly to the burning of fossil fuels, coal
being the largest. Now it’s simple to understand that if Carbon levels are high, temperature will also be high
then. This information does not match up throughout history. After thorough research, it is shown that the
carbon levels on our earth did not go on the rise until after the temperature was on an increase. Meanings that
the relationship between the two would not be significant or at least not as much as some claim them to be.
Another supporting fact of this idea is the “Medieval Warm Period. ” This period of time was hundreds of years
ago, where the temperature was recorded to be one of the highest on record. Now during this time the average
temperature measured more than three degrees higher than it is today. But going back to the Carbon Dioxide
idea, how is this possible? Obviously hundreds of years ago, factories did not exist, fossil fuels were not being
burned, and the population level was not even close to what it is now. So the carbon levels were almost
nonexistent, so this poses the question of why was there a major rise in temperature. Another era which did not
match the idea was during the early 1930’s it began. During this time, large Co2 emissions began because of
massive industrialization and a large amount of factories. The Co2 levels were skyrocketing and set record
heights. Although, temperatures were on the decline. The temperature was on a steady decline for almost four
decades after that. Obviously the Carbon level affecting the temperature idea is a little off or not fully proven.
Another idea that is not publicized as much as I personally believe it should be is the idea of constant climate
changing throughout the earth’s existence. It is understandable to say that this is a very vague and bold
statement to make, but when looked more into depth, it makes sense. Scientists have proven that we have had
multiple “ice age’s,” occur on our earth throughout time. There is no proven, definitive reason on why this
happened. So my question is, if the earth can reach temperatures that are frigid enough to lay sheets of ice over
the majority of the earth, the temperature must have warmed up somehow for the ice to melt and reach the
climate we have today. But if there were no population, no factories, barely if any Carbon Dioxide levels, how
did this happen? The idea of constant climate change needs to be taken more into favor. Blaming the population
on our climate change could be a wrong statement, climate change could be very natural, and we could possibly
see a decrease in temperature in the near future that would stun the world, but anything is possible. While I
respect the scientists who research and strive to make our world a safer place, I respectfully disagree with the
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idea of global warming. Not in all its entirety, just for the fact that many believe that is all due to the cause of
man. I believe in the natural cause of climate change, and believe the world is changing little by little every
single day. There is so much history of our planet that we don’t know, and probably never will know about. The
lack of definite facts also makes me question. If climate change occurred plenty of times throughout history, why
is the most modern one causing an uproar? The global warming epidemic caused a huge amount of concern
and has created many companies, foundations, etc. to try to collect profit to support global warming research
and studies. Thus, one could argue that global warming could be a money making hoax, an inflated problem
brought to the public to get money out of our pockets. But that is also just a theory that cannot be proven. Over
time more questions will be answered, and our advancement of technology will provide more answers that will
help these debatable topics. I do not mean to offend those who do believe in global warming, and I myself am
not even sure what I truly believe, but what I do believe is that each person is entitled to their own opinion, and
owe it to themselves to take the time to actually research global warming and decide what it is that they believe,
instead of going along with the general population.

REPORT PAPER

Concert

I.
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The concert that was attended was a concert that was held on Thursday July 16, 2009. The concert was held at
the Hollywood Bowl, which is located at 2301 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood, California 90068. The
performance was given by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is composed of many different members. The Los Angeles Philharmonic
includes Esa-Pekka Solonen as the Music Director and also the Walt and Lily Disney Chair. Gustavo Dundamel
joins as the Music Director Designate. The Assistant Conductor is Lionel Bringuier. The conductor of the
evening was Bramwell Tovey. Steven Stucky acts as the Consulting Composer for New Music. Paul Lewis was
a guest and featured on the piano. The first violins included: Martin Chalifour (Principal Concertmaster, Marjorie
Connell Wilson Chair), Alexander Treger (Concertmaster, Ernest Fleishmann Chair), Bing Wang (was not
present at this event as he is on sabbatical but he is a typical performer and is the Associate Concertmaster),
Mark Baranov (Assistant Concertmaster, Philharmonic Affiliates Chair), Tamara Chernyak, Michelle Bovyer,
Rochelle Abramson, Camille Avellano, Elizabeth Baker, Robert Vijay Gupta, Mischa Lefkowitz, Edith Markman,
Judith Mass, Mitchell Newman, Barry Socher, Lawrence Sonderling, and Stacy Wetzel. The second violins
include Mark Kashper (Associate Principal), Kristine Hedwell, Johnny Lee, Dale Breidenthal, David Chernyavky,
Ingrid Chun, Chao-Hua Jin, Nickolai Kurganov, Guido Lamell, Varty Manouelian, Paul Stein, Yun Tang,
Jonathan Wei, and SuLi Xue.
The violas include Carrie Dennis (Principal, John Connell Chair), Dale Hikawa Silverman (Associate Principal),
Jerry Epstein (who did not perform when I was there as he was on sabbatical), Richard Elegino, Dana Hansen,
John Hayhurst, Ingrid Hutman, Hui Liu, Meredith Snow, David Stockhammer, Leticia Oaks Strong, Minor L.
Wetzel. The cellos include Peter Stumpf (Principal, Bram and Elaine Goldsmith Chair), Daniel Rothmuller
(Associate Principal, Sadie and Norman Lee Chair), Ben Hong (Assistant Principal), Jonathan Karoly, Stephen
Custer, David Garrett, Barry Gold, Jason Lippmann, Gloria Lum, Serge Oskotsky, and Brent Samuel. The
basses included Dennis Trembly (Principal), Christopher Hanulik (Principal), Oscar M. Meza (Assistant
Principal), David Allen Moore, Jack Cousin, Richard D. Kelly, Peter Rofe, John Shiavo, Frederick Tinsley, The
flutes include Catherine Ransom Karoly (Associate Principal, Mr. and Mrs. H. Russell Smith Chair) and Sarah
Jackson. The piccolo is Sarah Jackson. The oboes include Ariana Ghez (Principal), Marion Arthur Kuszyk
(Associate Principal), Anne Marie Gabrielle, and Carolyn Hove.
The English horn is also played by Carolyn Hove. The clarinets include Michelle Zukovsky (Principal), Lorin
Levee (Principal), Monica Kaenzig (Mauk Nunis Chair), and David Howard. The e-flat clarinet isalso played by
Monica Kaenzig, while the bass clarinet is also played by David Howard. The bassoonsinclude Shawn Mouser
(Associate Principal), Michelle Grego and Patricia Kindel. Patricia Kindel also playsthe contrabassoon. The
horns include William Lane (Principal), Eric Overholt (Associate Principal),Elizabeth Cook-Shen (William and
Sally Rutter Chair), Brian Drake (Loring Charitable Trust Chair), BruceHudson, and Eric Bearman (Assistant,
Bud and Barbara Hellman Chair). The trumpets include DonaldGreene (Principal), James Wilt (Associate
Principal), Christopher Still, and Boyde Hood. The trombones include Stephen Witser (Principal), James Miller
(Associate Principal, Abbott and Linda Brown Chair), andHerbert Ausman. John Lofton plays the bass
trombone. Norman Pearson (Minturn Family FoundationChair) plays the tuba. The timpani is played by Joseph
Pereira (Principal). Percussion includes RaynorCarroll (Principal), James Babor, and Perry Dreiman. The
keyboards are played by Joanne Pearce Martin(Katharine Bixby Hotchkis Chair). The harp is played by Lou
Anne Neill. The librarians include KazueAsawa McGregor, Kenneth Bonebrake, and Stephen Biagini. The
personal manager is Jeffrey Neville and the production manager is Paul M. Geller. The entire performance was
the masterpieces that have been composed by Ludvig Van Beethoven. The pieces that were performed were
Egmont Overture, Piano Concerto No. 2, and Symphony No. 2. II. The composition that I liked best was the
Egmont Overture. This piece was composed by Ludvig Van Beethoven. The piece was written between 1809
and 1810 and was first presented on June 15, 1810. This was during the Georgian Era. This piece is a
symphony. The piece has six movements. The piece’s sense of unity seemed to come from the overtones of
sadness that were radiant in the music. The piece had variety in the way that the different instruments were
written into the piece. The melody was sad and it had such deep and tragic overtones that were used to make
you feel the tragedy that the piece is meant to describe. The composer kept the melody as true to form as he
could as he was trying to portray the symphony as Beethoven had written it. The beat of the symphony was
amazing. It was meant to invoke true feeling and involvement in the audience who was hearing it. Interesting
enough was that Beethoven was deaf at the time that he wrote this symphony and it is unknown as to whether
or not he was ever able to hear it himself. The tempo of this piece was steady at times but changed at others.
The instruments were all used at different times to make the sounds more unique and in order to invoke the
most feeling possible.
The entire performance was the masterpieces that have been composed by Ludvig Van Beethoven. The pieces
that were performed were Egmont Overture, Piano Concerto No. 2, and Symphony No. 2.
12 | P a g e

II.
The composition that I liked almost as much was the Piano Concerto No. 2. This piece was composed by
Ludvig Van Beethoven. The piece was written 1787 and 1789. It was finished in its current form, however, in
1798. This was during the Georgian Era. This piece was a concerto. This piece has three movements. The
piece was originally scored for a very small number of instruments and the piano solos in this piece were
amazing and absolutely beautiful to hear. The piece had a sense of unity that was strong. The overall melody
was used in a different way in this concerto as it was manipulated throughout the movements. There is a lot of
enjoyment in this concerto. It is not a serious piece and when listening it is almost childlike or playful in the way
that the instruments play and are able to manipulate the sounds. The overall part that stood out the most to me
was the part that consisted of the piano solo. In the original performance of this song Beethoven himself even
performed the solo, so for the soloist to perform it so beautifully is something that was amazing and wonderful to
get to experience.
III.
The composition that I liked the least was the Symphony No. 2. This piece was composed by Ludvig Van
Beethoven. The piece was written between 1801 and 1802. It was dedicated to Prince Lichnowsky. This work
was first played on April 5, 1803. This was during the Georgian Era.
This performance was another symphony. This piece is written with four movements. There were a number of
things about this symphony that made it less enjoyable than the other two performances. One of these things
was that the symphony was very long and drawn out. It was a slow symphony and one that seemed to move at
an unnatural slow pace. The tempo was not upbeat and it was not a fun song to hear. It was still beautiful in its
own way and was enjoyable to the listener although it was not nearly as enjoyable as the other pieces. Also the
flow was different and it seemed as though at times it was stuck and the flow was not moving as smoothly as I
would have preferred. It can be speculated that the sadness that is meant to be heard in the slow page is part of
Beethoven realizing that he is losing his hearing and that he might not be able to hear for much longer.
V.
The entire concert was beautiful and truly amazing to experience. The symphony is one of those things that can
be described to someone as it is something that has to be fully experienced to be truly appreciated. All of the
musicians are amazingly talented. However it was a highlight to get to see Paul Lewis play the Piano Concerto
No. 2. He truly is a very talented young man who deserves credit and recognition.
All of the pieces were amazing. There were no pieces or performances that were lacking in any way. My concert
experience was truly something that I will cherish forever. As a foreign student this was a new experience to me
and one that I had not experienced back home. I truly feel blessed to have been able to experience this
wonderful performance. I only hope that I will continue to be able to have such wonderful experiences in the
future.

RESEARCH PAPER

Students’ Perceptions towards the Quality of Online Education: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract
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How to ensure the quality of online learning in institutions of higher education has been a growing concern

during the past several years. While several studies have focused on the perceptions of faculty and

administrators, there has been a paucity of research conducted on students’ perceptions toward the quality of

online education. This study utilized qualitative methods to investigate the perceptions of students from two

universities and one community college regarding the quality of online education based on their own online

learning experiences. Interviews and observations were conducted with three students. Various documents

were collected, digital and printed. Positive and negative experiences of students were examined. Factors that

contribute to those experiences were also identified. The findings of this research revealed that flexibility, cost-

effectiveness, electronic research availability, ease of connection to the Internet, and well-designed class

interface were students’ positive experiences. The students’ negative experiences were caused by delayed

feedback from instructors, unavailable technical support from instructors, lack of self-regulation and self-

motivation, the sense of isolation, monotonous instructional methods, and poorly-designed course content The

findings can be used by instructors to understand students’ perceptions regarding online learning, and

ultimately improve their online instructional practices.

Introduction

With the fast development of the Internet, many colleges and universities have offered online courses as a

viable alternative to traditional face-to-face instruction. However, considerable concerns and problems have

developed, particularly as it relates to the quality of online education. Online education, according to Harasim

(1989), is a new domain of learning that combines distance education with the practice of face-to-face

instruction utilizing computer-mediated communication. Ascough (2002) suggested that online education has

the following features: (a) it provides a learning experience different than in the traditional classroom because

learners are different, (b) the communication is via computer and World Wide Web, (c) participation in

classroom by learners are different, (d) the social dynamic of the learning environment is changed, and (e)

discrimination and prejudice is minimized (p.1). New technologies, the Internet, streaming video, net-meeting

etc. now makes higher education more accessible and affordable for many students, and for those who would

have been unable to pursue higher education in a traditional in-class setting (Bianco & Carr-Chellman, 2002).

Consequently, online learning has now become an integral part of higher education institutions’ expanding

curriculum. The term online education is often associated with Internet education, virtual education, cyber-

learning, and asynchronous learning (Office of Sustainable Development, 2000). Kearsly (2000) reported the

following themes that shape online education: collaboration, connectivity, student-centeredness,

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unboundedness, community, exploration, shared knowledge, multisensory experience, and authenticity (p. 4-

10). Volery (2000) also concluded that online delivery is a form of distributed learning enabled by the Internet.

According to Paulsen (2002), online education is characterized by: · the separation of teachers and learners

(which distinguishes it from face-to-face education), · the influence of an educational organization (which

distinguishes it from self-study and private tutoring), · the use of a computer network to present or distribute

some educational content · the provision of two-way communication via a computer network so that students

may benefit from communication with each other, teachers, and staff. (p.1) Online courses and degrees have

been widely adopted by higher education institutions as another method to substitute traditional classroom

instruction. Allen and Seaman’s (2003) recent survey on online education delivered by higher education

institutions in the United States, found that at least 80% of the course content delivered by those institutions

were delivered online. Regardless of the definition, an early indication of the widespread popularity of 862

online education courses can be found in a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, which

revealed that more than 54,000 online education courses were being offered in 1998, with over 1.6 million

student’s enrolled (cited in Lewis, et al., 1999). In a more recent study, Allen and Seaman (2003) reported that:

(a) over 1.6 million students took at least one online course during the Fall of 2002, (b) over one-third of these

students (578,000) took all of their courses online, (c) among all U.S. higher education students in Fall 2002,

11 percent took at least one online course, and (d) among those students at institutions where online courses

were offered, 13 percent took at least one online course (p.1).

Statement of the problem

Although it is has been reported in a recent study that 80% of course content offered in institutions of higher

learning are being delivered online (Allen & Seaman, 2003), students in this study were still reluctant to take

online courses and complained about the online classes they had taken. One participant noted, “Not only does

the courses costs more, but they made me feel lost all the time” (Personal communication, November 11,

2003). Another participant stated, “The online class was very boring, and I don’t feel the instructor helped me a

lot”(Personal communication, November 11, 2003). It appeared that these students held unpleasant

experiences from their prior online learning experiences. What caused their negative experiences? Was it the

learner themselves? Was it the program? Or was it because of the instructor? How do students perceive the

quality of online education based upon their own online learning experiences? Are they satisfied or dissatisfied

with the online education they have received? What are the factors that shape students’ online learning
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experiences? All of those questions prompted the present study and its investigation to explore students’

perceptions towards the quality of online education.

Rationale for study

As the number of online education courses in higher education has increased, concerns and issues have

arisen about the quality of these courses (Yang & Cornelious, 2003). Many problems that have arisen in online

education regarding its quality are often related, but not limited to: (a) the requirement of separate quality

assurance standards, (b), programs having low (or no) quality standards, and (c) there is no consensus on

what constitutes learning quality (Twigg, 2001). Carnevale (2000) reported that Nick Smith (D, Michigan), the

chairman of the House of Representatives science subcommittee on basic research expressed deep concerns

about the quality of internet-based courses during a hearing in May of year 2000. Representative Smith stated

that he remained skeptical of the quality of online learning, “... students who take courses online don't interact

as much as their peers in traditional courses, and that they may walk away with knowledge but not with an

understanding of how to think for themselves (p. 51.)” Concerns have also arisen as to the use of technology

as a panacea to correct financial problems of institutions rather than serve as a valid teaching method

(Hensrud, 2001). Brown & Green (2003) have also argued that online course delivery is often viewed by

“administrators as a ‘cash cow’ venue – a means of delivering instruction to a large number of paying

customers without the expense of providing things such as temperature controlled classroom and parking

spaces'' (p. 148). Many opponents of online education question whether or not online learning can provide the

same interaction between instructor-students and students-students as traditional classrooms offered (Roblyer

& Ekhaml, 2000). Some opponents also question the quality of online education since the quality of instructors

who teach online courses cannot be guaranteed (Weiger, 1998). Arguments are made that as consumers of

online education, students are unlikely to be able to find out information about the quality of the courses that

are provided (Twigg, 2001). Schools or universities that offer online education courses typically do not provide

comparative information for students e.g., how would a student know which online course meets his/her

needs? Moreover, prerequisites that are essential for taking a particular online course are usually not clearly

stated on websites for students, and when students are encountering technical problems, they will be able to

ask for assistance if it is not available to them (Twigg, 2001, p. 15). Thus, additional research is needed to

examine the quality of online education. Proponents are in support of online education. They have suggested

that the lack of face-to-face interaction can be substituted by online discussions in bulletin board systems,

online video conferences or on listservs (Blake, 2000). Online education can also promote students’ critical
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thinking skills, deep learning, collaborative learning, and problem-solving skills (Ascough, 2002; Rosie, 2000 &

Briggs, 1999). Donlevy (2003) asserted that online education may help schools expand curricula offerings with

less cost and can help graduates gain important technology skills to improve their marketability. Proponents

also argue that online education can encourage nondiscriminatory teaching and learning practices since the

teachers and students, as well as students and their 863 classmates typically do not meet face-to-face. Palloff

and Pratt (1999) reported that because students cannot tell the race, gender, physical characteristics of each

other and their teachers, online education presents a bias-free teaching and learning environment for

instructors and students. Quality, as used in this study, is the extent to which an internet-based distance

education program meets the benchmark criteria established by the Institute of Higher Education Policy in

2000 (IHEP 2000). In order for a distance education program to be recognized as a quality program it should

meet these specific criteria (Hensrud, 2001). According to Kearsley (2000), to be considered a good-quality

online course, ten most critical elements must be incorporated. They are “content, pedagogy, motivation,

feedback, coordination/organization, usability, assistance, workload, and flexibility” (p.105). Numerous

research projects have been conducted from the perspectives of faculty (Bennett & Bennett, 2002; Bower,

2001; O’Quinn & Corry, 2002; Yueng, 2001) and administrators (Alley, 2001; Giannoni & Tesone, 2003;

Husman & Miller, 2001) toward the quality of distance education, where the Internet was used as the major

delivery method, based upon the IHEP’s quality benchmarks. However, there is a lack of research to measure

the quality of online education from the students’ perspective. Little is known about the quality of programs that

offer online education, especially those programs based on the Internet. Faculty, administrators, and policy

makers need to know how their “customers” view the quality of online education programs based upon their

own learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study

Although the literature regarding online education is expanding, studies related to the quality of online

education are limited. Among those examined, few researchers have examined the quality of online education

from the students’ perspective. Therefore, there is a need to investigate students’ perceptions towards the

quality of online education. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of existing online education

courses that utilize the Internet as the primary instructional delivery method. The focus of this study was to

examine students’ perceptions of the quality of online education. The findings of this study may contribute to

the literature of online education in terms of quality assurance. The results should hopefully enable institutions
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offering online education to evaluate their programs based on the findings and the recommendations in this

study.

Research Questions:

Answers to the following research questions were sought in this study.

1. What is the experience of students who are receiving online education? How do they perceive the quality of

online education from their experiences?

2. What are factors that have shaped students’ online education experience? How do those factors contribute

to the quality of online education?

Limitations

There are several limitations of this study which need to be addressed. First, the three students who participated
in this study were taking three different classes offered at only two universities and one community college.
Each instructor in the study had his/her own characteristic in regard to how he/she presented course content
and communicated with students. Therefore, the characteristics of the instructor may have had an influence on
students’ perceptions of their online education.
Second, there were different types of formats utilized to present the online courses. Two classes used WebCT
as courseware technology, and one class used Blackboard. Although there are many similarities for the two
courseware technology, the layout, the design of the class, and interface were all different.
Third, the classes were across disciplines and were taught at different levels. One was a graduate course in
Educational Psychology. One was an undergraduate course in Music Appreciation, and the third was a social
development class, which was taught at the undergraduate level.

Definition of Terms

This study adopted the term of online education identified by Paulsen (2002). According to Paulsen, online
education is characterized by
· the separation of teachers and learners (which distinguishes it from face-to-face education),
· the influence of an educational organization (which distinguishes it from self-study and private tutoring),
· the use of a computer network to present or distribute some educational content 864
· the provision of two-way communication via a computer network so that students may benefit from
communication with each other, teachers, and staff. (p.1.)
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Methodology
Research design The design selected for this research study was qualitative in nature using interviews,
observations, and documents. Qualitative research provides an understanding of a situation or phenomenon
that tells the story rather than determining cause and effect (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2003; Glesne, 1999).
Techniques for conducting qualitative research include observations, interview, and document analysis.
Triangulation—putting together various types and pieces of information –can lead to a better analysis or
interpretation of a situation. According to Patton (1990), “Studies that use only one method are more vulnerable
to errors linked to that particular method than studies that use multiple methods in which different types of data
provide cross-data validity checks” (p. 18). Interviews and observations are only two parts of that process.
Strengthening the information collected from observations and interviews with other data is not essential, but
desirable (Stake, 1995). The data collection techniques used in this study consisted of the structured and
unstructured interviews, observations, and documentations. Data Collection Data were collected using the
following methods: interviews, observations, and documents. Multiple sources for data collection will allow the
researchers to use different data sources to validate and crosscheck findings (Patton, 1990). Documents were
collected and evaluated as additional resources for the study. Each participant in this study engaged in two
interviews. One of the interviews was structured and the other was unstructured. Two observations were
conducted in an effort to gain more qualitative data. The observations were approximately 60-minute sessions.
The observations were conducted in the setting that participants usually completed their online coursework.
Documents were collected from all participants. These documents were printouts and other information to
substantiate information that was already collected and witnessed during the observations and interviews
process. Data were analyzed to answer the research questions and to cross reference similarities and
differences among participants. 867 Interviews Fraenkl & Wallen (2003) have suggested that interviewing is an
essential method for checking the accuracy of the impressions that a researcher has gained through
observations (p. 455). Interviews can be conducted in several ways-with prepared questions, a protocol or
interview guide, or as an unplanned event. Patton (1990) described six different types of questions that all
contribute valuable information to the research study: (a) experience/behavior questions-what the individual
does in this situation or has previously done; (b) opinion/value questions-what the individual thinks or believes
about a situation or issue; (c) feeling questions-what the individual’s natural emotional responses would be to a
situation or issue; (d) knowledge questions-what facts the individual knows about the situation or issue; (e)
sensory questions-what sensory response the individual would have to the situation or issue; and (f)
background or demographic questions-what characteristics describe the individual. Each of these questions
guides the researcher in developing an understanding of the phenomenon. This study employed a variety of
questioning techniques (see Appendix A) to encourage the participants to describe their perceptions of the
quality of online education based on their own experiences. Formal structured interviews were conducted for
each participant at the beginning of the study. Each participant’s interview lasted approximately 60 minutes
each. The interviews were conducted at the convenience of the participants, such as in their dorm room, office,
or the campus library. Unstructured interviews were conducted with each participant. The unstructured
interviews lasted approximately 45-60 minutes. Each participant had an unstructured and a structured interview.
Sample questions asked during the formal interviews included: As a student, how does your experience of
online educational programs compare with traditional in-class instruction? How do you like or dislike it? As a
student, how would you rate the overall quality of the online instruction you receive? Very good, good,
moderate, or not good? Why? In what ways could online education programs serve your educational needs? As
a student, how do you feel about the communication between yourself and the instructor? Between you and
other students? Questions for the unstructured interviews were based on things that were observed or were not
seen during observations. Also, much room was allowed for spontaneous questions and responses from both
the participants and the researchers. Observations Observations were conducted from February to May during
the spring semester of 2004. An integral part of qualitative research, observations allow the researcher to
determine if what the participant has said in the interview is transferred into action during the online learning
experience. Participant observation “gives a firsthand account of the situation under study and, when combined
with interviewing and document analysis, allows for a holistic interpretation of the phenomenon being
investigated (Merriam, 1998, p. 102). During the observation process, field notes were made and transcribed.
Pictures about the setting of the environment where the participants normally work for online classes were also
taken. Participants were given the opportunity to schedule their observations at their convenience and in
settings conductive for them. Each participant was observed twice. Some of the observations took place in the
participant’s homes, dorm rooms, offices, or the campus library. During the process of observation, extensive
field notes were taken. Those notes included participants’ study habits, description of the physical environment
where the participants were studying, and how the participants were actively or inactively involved in his/her
online learning. Documentation Fraenkel and Wallen (2003) indicated that documents refers to any kind of
information that exists in some type of written or printed form intended for private or public consumption and are
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available to the researcher for analysis. Thus, photographs, participants’ email messages, printed version of the
class layout, and participants’ submitted assignments along with class syllabus were collected as data sources.
Documents concerning online education were collected from all participants. These documents included
syllabus, course information, tests, study notes, discussion board postings, emails, etc. The majority of the
documents received from the participants were printouts from each participant’s course site. The purpose of
implementing observations, interviews, and documents was to provide trustworthiness and accountability to the
data. The researchers were attempting to determine whether the participants’ actions and interview responses
were the same. The researchers examined how closely what the participants said in the interview, and
observations were aligned with what actually happened in the typical online learning settings. Participants The
sample for this research study were three students enrolled in online learning courses. The participants received
online instruction from two different universities (University of Southern Mississippi, and Mississippi State
University) and one community college (East Mississippi Community College) in Mississippi. Fraenkel & Wallen
(2003) have concluded that purposive sampling is based on the assumption that one needs to “select a sample
from which they feel will yield the best understanding of whatever it is they wish to study” 868 (p. 440). However,
convenience sampling was used in this study. Two males and one female student participated in this study.
Among the three, one was Caucasian, and two were African American. These participants were all enrolled in
online classes. Their exams and other assessments were completed online. Two of the participants received
instruction delivery via WebCT and the other participant received instruction via Blackboard. Two of these
participants were non-traditional students. One was a housewife of approximately 42 years old, and the other
participant was almost 40 years old and held a full time job. Both participants took undergraduate courses
offered online. The third participant was a traditional student of 25 years of age, who took a graduate online
course. Procedures The initial step in the procedure was the selection of study participants. Convenience
sampling was done because the participants were known to the researchers. Participants’ interviews and
observations were then conducted during the spring semester of 2004. Structured interviews with the
participants were first conducted separately. Conversations were recorded during the entire interview process.
Following, the participants engaged in unstructured interviews two weeks later. The interviews were conducted
in different places to accommodate the needs and convenience of the participants. One participant was
interviewed twice in his dormitory room. The second participant was interviewed twice in her home. The third
participant was interviewed in his office once and once at the campus library. After the completion of interviews,
data were organized and preliminarily analyzed. The first observation was then scheduled upon the participants’
consent to see how he/she worked for the online class. A week later, the second observation was scheduled
with participants to confirm whether or not there had been any change in participants’ behaviors when the
participants became familiar with the research process. During the process of the first and second observations,
various documents were collected. Photographs were taken for the physical setting of the online environment of
the participants. The online class design and layout were also printed as archival data. Some other documents
such as syllabus, discussion posting messages were also collected during this stage of the process. Data
Analysis Data analysis is a key component of qualitative research. Transcripts made of audiotaped interviews
were checked for accuracy against the original recordings. Data analysis was also conducted simultaneously
with data collection. Extensive coding of the interview and observation transcripts was conducted by
researchers. The constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) was used to analyze the qualitative
data from different sources over time. Data were organized around each research question, which related to
experiences of students who were taking online classes and the factors that shaped those experiences. The
researchers examined the interviews, observations, and archival data for similarities and differences. This
information was then compiled around two major areas. These areas were positive experiences and negative
experiences of online education. The positive experiences included: flexibility, cost-effectiveness, convenience,
self-paced, availability of technical support, and ease of connection. The negative experiences included:
delayed instructor feedback, unavailable technical support from instructor, self-regulation and self-motivation,
and a sense of isolation. The factors that attributed to participants' positive experiences were: easy access to
computers and Internet, well designed course layout, available technical support from the university and library,
spontaneous grade postings after assessments, and flexible class participation time. The factors that attributed
to participants’ negative experiences were: untimely or lack of feedback from instructor; monotonous
instructional methods, lack of technical support, lack of interpersonal communication, and poorly-designed
course interface. Limitations of the analysis are reported and discussed in the findings section of this paper.
Data collection and analysis provided answers to the following research questions: (1) What is the experience of
students who are receiving online education? (2) How do students perceive the quality of online education from
their experiences? (3) What factors shaped the students’ online education experience? (4) How do those factors
contribute to the quality of online education?
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Findings and Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions towards online education based upon the
online learning experiences they had. Students' perceptions toward online education based on their own
experiences have been examined. The factors which shaped those students’ online education experiences have
also been investigated. The findings of this research will be grouped in two clusters: students’ positive
experiences and negative experiences. The students’ positive experiences were: flexibility, cost-effectiveness,
electronic research availability, and ease of connection to the Internet. The students’ negative experiences were
identified as: delayed feedback from instructors, unavailable technical support from instructor, lack of self-
regulation and self- 869 motivation, and the sense of isolation. Factors that contributed to students’ positive
experiences were: flexibility of class participation time and self-paced study, cost-effectiveness of online class,
electronic research availability, well-designed course layout, ease connection of the Internet, easy navigation of
the online class interface, and familiarity with the instructor. Factors that contributed to students' negative
experiences were: delayed feedback from instructor; unavailable technical support from instructor, lack of self-
regulation and self-motivation, sense of isolation, monotonous instructional methods, and poorly-designed
course content.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of students’ perception of online learning. Qualitative
research methods used in this study were well suited to achieve this goal. The depth of information gained
through the analysis of interviews, observations and archival data have provided a level of understanding that
quantitative methodology could not have. While receiving online education, participants gained both positive and
negative experiences, although their experiences tended to be more positive. Flexibility of class participation
time and self-paced study, cost effectiveness of online class, electronic research availability, well-designed
course layout, ease connection of the Internet, easy navigation of the online class interface, and familiarity with
the instructor contributed to participants’ positive experiences. Factors that contributed to students' negative
experiences were: delayed feedback from instructor; unavailable technical support from instructor, lack of self-
regulation and self motivation, sense of isolation, monotonous instructional methods, and poorly-designed
course content. These findings were supported by the majority of the research literature that was reviewed in
this study. Reflection, flexibility, and convenience are reported as strengths of online education by several
researchers (Petrides, 2002; Vonderwell, 2003; Poole, 2000; & Murphy and Collins, 1997). Some contributing
factors as regards to participants’ negative experiences could also be found in similar studies found in the
literature. As Howland & Moore (2002) pointed out, the level and quality of communication between students
and between students and instructor was a critical issue. Petride (2002) revealed the immediacy in responses
affected learners’ experiences. Vonderwell (2003) and Song et al. (2004) also reported the lack of a sense of
community in students’ online learning experiences. This study also found the feeling of familiarity with the
instructor influenced students’ learning experiences. When the online learner knows the online instructor, he/she
may feel more comfortable while taking the instructor’s online class. Based on this finding, a question may be
raised as to whether or not an online class should be taught by first-year faculty? Further research may be
conducted to examine the effectiveness of online teaching by first-year faculty and senior faculty. When
participants were asked to evaluate the overall quality of online education they received, their answers were
moderate. Moderate quality of online education implies that they were not very satisfied with the education
received, or they did not perceive that the online education they received was of high quality. The participants’
personality may have some bearing on how responsible they felt for their own learning. Online learners may
need to change their own behaviors such as lack of self-motivation, spending too much time on the phone, or
not being an active and constructive learner. However, when their negative experiences were examined, all of
the factors except the one related to learner characteristics (lack of self-regulation or self-motivation) are related
to the online instructor. Participant’s in this study felt lost, frustrated, and isolated because there was lack of
immediate response or no feedback from the instructor. When the course content was not organized, it
increased the level of perplexity and nervousness of online learners. When participants encountered any
technical problems, the instructors were not able to assist them. Even when the instructor could not help them,
no other technical person could help the online learners either. When the instructional methods were only
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through textbooks, or discussion postings, students’ learning was not effective. The learners just completed
assignments and turned them in without transferring and assimilating the knowledge from the textbook to their
own. The authors concluded that in the process of ensuring the quality of online education, the instructor plays a
key role. Not only because the instructor “faces'' the students directly, but also because more responsibility has
been put on the instructor’s shoulder. However, this does not mean that the administrator should be set aside in
the quality assurance of online education. More importantly, the administrator should provide sufficient support
(training, administrative, monetary, and promotional), hire qualified faculty, and motivate faculty to provide
effective online teaching. This study was conducted with students from two universities and one community
college in the south. Convenience sampling, rather than another sampling technique was used. If a different
sampling technique had been chosen, the results could be different. Therefore, future research could be done
with a homogeneous group of students, using a larger sample size; including more universities and colleges in
the study. This study has contributed to the literature in the area of on-line education. It has also provided
valuable information from students that can serve both online instructors and administrators in providing more
effective on- 873 line education. This study suggests that IHEP benchmarks should be adopted by every
institution of higher education as a measure of the online programs each institution offers. When the online
education programs do not meet the benchmarks, students won’t perceive their online education to be of high
quality. This study has also shown that more research needs to be conducted in the area of improving
communications and utilizing multimedia to enhance the on-line educational experiences of students in regard
to both course content and social connectedness.