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Abstract
Online education has increased exponentially in the past five years and is now considered part of mainstream higher education. It has significantly changed bricks and mortar institutions, but has the change been effective? One of the most common concerns regarding online education is the physical separation between teachers and students (Robertson, Grant, & Jackson, 2005; Moore, 1997). In order to bridge the physical distance of online education, Shin (2003, 2002) argues that universities should enhance transactional presence. However, little is known about transactional presence and online public administration courses. This study examines Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) student perceptions of transactional presence with two groups: faculty and peers. Findings support previous research of no significant difference between teaching mediums in regards to student perceptions. Contrary to previous studies, neither ethnicity nor gender appear to play a prominent role in whether students are satisfied with the contact they have with peers or with faculty.
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Notes on contributors
Lorenda A. Naylor
Lorenda A. Naylor is an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore. She has published in the Review of Public Personnel Administration, the Journal on Comparative Asian Development, and the Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Laura A. Wilson
Laura A. Wilson is a professor, and the executive director and division chair in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore. She also is a research associate with the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore. She co-authored (with Robert Stoker) When Work is Not Enough. Wilson has published in Public Administration Review and Social Sciences Quarterly.
