Technology and pedagogy: The association between students’ perceptions of the quality of online courses and the technologies employed

A nationwide sample of college and university students completed a survey that asked questions about the pedagogical and technological characteristics of their most recently completed online course. Complete data were obtained from 1,805 students at 46 different universities and colleges in the United States. Findings from multiple regression analyses showed that students ’ perceptions of the quality and the difficulty of the course were significantly related to the frequency of use of the various technologies. Specifically, the best predictor of perceived quality of the course was frequency of contact with the instructor via e-mail. These results are interpreted with respect to immediacy and social presence. It is argued that instructors and students can learn to employ technologies such as e-mail and discussion boards in ways that enhance teacher immediacy and social presence beyond what might be expected based on the nature of the medium