Motivación estudiantil en CORONAPOLIS: Efectos de las percepciones de distancia transaccional en la motivación de los estudiantes universitarios de inglés como lengua extranjera

The concept of Transactional Distance (TD) experienced in distance education has been recorded as a focal point in many studies examining its effects in various dimensions in different courses. However, there is scarcity of research on TD in relation to learner motivation in language learning. This exploratory case study investigated TD perceptions of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) undergraduates participating in distance education courses held at a Turkish university within the boundaries of CORONAPOLIS, an imaginary city which is under the threat and destructive effects of Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, this study examined the effects of TD perceptions on the motivation of 87 EFL students. The data were collected through the participants’ informal self-reports and open-ended questions. The results of the content analysis showed that the participants had varying perceptions of the dimensions of TD; dialogue, structure and autonomy. The results also showed that they had different motivational experiences in relation to their perceptions. In the light of the results, some pedagogical implications are made.El concepto de Distancia Transaccional (TD) experimentado en la educación a distancia se ha registrado como un punto focal en muchos estudios que examinan sus efectos en varias dimensiones en diferentes cursos. Sin embargo, hay escasez de investigación sobre TD en relación con la motivación del alumno en el aprendizaje de idiomas. Este estudio de caso exploratorio investigó las percepciones de TD de estudiantes universitarios de EFL (inglés como lengua extranjera) que participan en cursos de educación a distancia realizados en una universidad turca dentro de los límites de CORONAPOLIS, una ciudad imaginaria que se encuentra bajo la amenaza y los efectos destructivos de la pandemia de Covid-19. Específicamente, este estudio examinó los efectos de las percepciones de TD en la motivación de 87 estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera. Los datos se recopilaron a través de autoinformes informales de los participantes y preguntas abiertas. Los resultados del análisis de contenido mostraron que los participantes tenían diferentes percepciones de las dimensiones de TD; diálogo, estructura y autonomía. Los resultados también mostraron que tenían diferentes experiencias motivacionales en relación con sus percepciones. A la luz de los resultados, se sugiere la formación teórico-práctica del cuerpo docente y la integración de cursos de educación a distancia en los programas de grado/grado

Perceptions of Transactional Distance from Black Males in Asynchronous Online Math Courses

Transactional distance theory (Moore, 1973, 1993, 2013, 2019) identifies transactional distance as a psychological or communication gap that can be perceived by learners based on their personal educational needs and/or preferences. These perceptions of distance can occur in any learning environment but especially in distance learning or online learning environments and can influence course satisfaction, participation, and persistence (Tinto, 2009). Perceptions of transactional distance are observed through interactions (learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content; Moore, 1989) and are influenced by the theory’s three main tenets of course structure, dialogue, and learner autonomy through instructional design and personalization. Qualitative interviews were conducted with Black males taking online asynchronous math courses at a mid-sized southern university to determine how the participants’ perceived instances of transactional distance in their online asynchronous math courses. Semi-structured qualitative interview questions were developed based partly on Monica Aixiu Zhang’s quantitative measuring tool (2003) for measuring transactional distance based on learner interactions (learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content, learner-LMS, and learner-institution) which was updated by Paul et. al. (2015), including Zhang in 2015. Perceptions were recorded, analyzed, and organized per tenet and type of interaction. Results of the study support the theory’s purport that learners perceive levels of transactional distance based on their personalized educational needs and/or preferences. The findings also support empirical research findings stating that educational disadvantages can be exacerbated in distance learning environments, especially for marginalized or underprepared populations (Paul et al., 2015; Salvo et al., 2019; Stewart et al., 2010; Xu & Jaggars, 2013). Reportedly, the findings of this study support the need for learners to experience varied interactions with options available to meet their personal educational needs and or preferences. Participants experienced levels of transactional distance concerning dialogue within the learning environment, concerning autonomous learning management and support, and concerning their reactions to course structures based on their personalized needs and preferences. Instructors, instructional designers, and stakeholders have the opportunity to support learners through professional development for instructors and course designers, cycles of feedback, learner support programs, options for personalization, and varied course design which should include interactions, dialogue, opportunities for autonomy, and course structures appropriate for online learning environments

Examining the Effects of Ethnicity on Transactional Distance in an Online Distance Learning Course

Distance learning (DL), commonly referred to as online learning has grown exponentially in the past two decades with at least 85% of institutions of higher education in the US offering DL courses by 2013, serving more than 7 million students in the US. As the number of students taking online courses has increased, the number of ethnic minority students, specifically African Americans enrolled in online courses has also significantly increased. Despite this demonstrated interest in higher education, African Americans have had poorer learning outcomes and higher dropout rates than Caucasians in both online and face to face programs. According to Michael Moore’s transactional distance theory (TDT), the physical separation of the teacher from the learner creates a transactional distance which is defined as a communication gap or a psychological space that potentially causes misunderstandings between the instructors and the learner. The theory infers that a high level of transactional distance in a DL course leads to low levels of learner satisfaction with the course and consequently to poor learning outcomes. This dissertation utilized TDT as a theoretical framework to investigate whether ethnicity has a direct effect on transactional distance in online courses. The study did not find any relationship between ethnicity and transactional distance. Recommendations are made for additional research into this subject incorporating larger, more ethnically diverse study samples

Re-examining interaction and transactional distance through the lived experiences of postgraduate online distance learners.

Current research into online distance education (ODE) has established the importance of interaction to counter the potential isolation experienced by online distance learners (ODLs). Consequently, programme designers and instructors seek to maximise opportunities for interaction in their delivery. However, much of this research is confined to institutionally bound conceptions of interaction; interactions occurring beyond the study environment, particularly for postgraduate distance learners, are significant but are less thoroughly investigated. Moore's (1993) theory of transactional distance (TTD), which claims that distance learning is characterised by the psychological and communicative separation of teacher and learner, is often used as a basis for 'testing' how effective different forms of interaction are in reducing transactional distance (TD). Despite its transcendental usefulness, TTD was developed at a time when distance learning was of the correspondence variety; thus, it tends to be instruction- and instructor-focused without appropriately reflecting contemporary ODE. Therefore, there is a need to re-examine the theory from the ODL perspective. Using narrative inquiry and photo-elicitation, this thesis investigates the lived experiences of part-time postgraduate online distance learners (ODLs) studying a professionally related master’s degree. I draw on Dewey’s (1946, 1960) theory of transactionalism to examine the multiple interactions ODLs engage in within and beyond the study environment, and how these impact on their experienced TD. The narrative data suggest that interactions are complex, multi-layered and occupy multiple spaces, and are therefore more accurately conceived of as non-dualistic educational transactions. These transactions suggest that TTD is no longer sufficient for understanding the ODL experience. I offer a more nuanced interpretation of the theory, informed by participants' stories and recast from the learners’ perspective. This reconceptualisation will be of interest to ODE programme designers, instructors, and administrators when seeking to ensure a meaningful ODE experience

Assuming Data Integrity and Empirical Evidence to The Contrary

Background: Not all respondents to surveys apply their minds or understand the posed questions, and as such provide answers which lack coherence, and this threatens the integrity of the research. Casual inspection and limited research of the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), included in the dataset of the World Values Survey (WVS), suggested that random responses may be common. Objective: To specify the percentage of cases in the BRI-10 which include incoherent or contradictory responses and to test the extent to which the removal of these cases will improve the quality of the dataset. Method: The WVS data on the BFI-10, measuring the Big Five Personality (B5P), in South Africa (N=3 531), was used. Incoherent or contradictory responses were removed. Then the cases from the cleaned-up dataset were analysed for their theoretical validity. Results: Only 1 612 (45.7%) cases were identified as not including incoherent or contradictory responses. The cleaned-up data did not mirror the B5P- structure, as was envisaged. The test for common method bias was negative. Conclusion: In most cases the responses were incoherent. Cleaning up the data did not improve the psychometric properties of the BFI-10. This raises concerns about the quality of the WVS data, the BFI-10, and the universality of B5P-theory. Given these results, it would be unwise to use the BFI-10 in South Africa. Researchers are alerted to do a proper assessment of the psychometric properties of instruments before they use it, particularly in a cross-cultural setting

Leading Towards Voice and Innovation: The Role of Psychological Contract

Background: Empirical evidence generally suggests that psychological contract breach (PCB) leads to negative outcomes. However, some literature argues that, occasionally, PCB leads to positive outcomes. Aim: To empirically determine when these positive outcomes occur, focusing on the role of psychological contract (PC) and leadership style (LS), and outcomes such as employ voice (EV) and innovative work behaviour (IWB). Method: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, using reputable questionnaires on PC, PCB, EV, IWB, and leadership styles. Correlation analyses were used to test direct links within the model, while regression analyses were used to test for the moderation effects. Results: Data with acceptable psychometric properties were collected from 11 organisations (N=620). The results revealed that PCB does not lead to substantial changes in IWB. PCB correlated positively with prohibitive EV, but did not influence promotive EV, which was a significant driver of IWB. Leadership styles were weak predictors of EV and IWB, and LS only partially moderated the PCB-EV relationship. Conclusion: PCB did not lead to positive outcomes. Neither did LS influencing the relationships between PCB and EV or IWB. Further, LS only partially influenced the relationships between variables, and not in a manner which positively influence IWB