Online interaction between on-campus and distance students: Learners’ perspectives

Abstract

This paper addresses postgraduate students’ perspectives toward online interaction between on-campus and distance students through online collaboration tools such as online discussion boards and Wikis. Data were collected from eight interview participants and 29 written survey respondents. Seven interrelated categories capturing the main features of on-campus students’ perspectives were generated from the data using a sequential mixed method approach, namely, a quantitative survey approach both preceded and followed by qualitative interviews. Among these categories, on-campus students’ “unwillingness” to participate in online interaction with their distance peers emerged as the core phenomenon. Drawing on the analysis of these data, this article identifies the major impediments to active online interaction and collaboration and puts forward three recommendations for promoting more frequent interaction between distance and on-campus students.