An investigation of the relationships between learning context, student approach to learning and student learning outcomes in distance education /

The purpose of the present study was to explore qualitative differences in student learning outcomes in distance education courses. The following relationships were examined within the context of three McGill Distance Education Program courses that vary widely in content and instructional goals: (1) the relationship between learning context, student approach to learning and student learning outcomes; (2) the relationship between student and instructor perspectives of the learning context; and (3) the relationship between type of course, course learning expectations, course structure and design, and the selected method(s) of assessment. The design of this study employed a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis procedures. The data set included instructor interviews, a qualitative measure of instructor's student learning expectations for their course, qualitative measures of students' course learning expectations, and quantitative measures of students' general learning approach, students' specific approach to learning in their course, and students' positive and negative impressions of their course. (Abstract shortened by UMI.