Videoconferencing in Distance Education: A Study of Student Perceptions in the Lecture Context

SUMMARY

The objective of this study was to see whether videoconferencing in distance education is more appropriate than conventional education in the context of delivering lectures. As the results indicate, we cannot conclude that this is so. Technological deficiencies played a major role here. Consequently, students of the videoconferencing classes, both remote and onsite, appreciated less the course structure and its progress, and were less motivated and less satisfied than the students of conventional lectures. However, most of the students shared their appreciation of the professor, of the quality of the learning experience, and of the level of learning achieved. Interestingly, although the students at the remote location were less satisfied than all the others and indicated that they did not wish to repeat the experience, they clearly achieved better results than the three other groups involved in the study.