International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning - Volume 10 - Issue 1 - Interaction Equivalency in Self-Paced Online Learning Environments

Sep 21, 2026

This mixed methods study investigates interaction in a self-paced online learning environment, focusing on which interaction forms learners value most and how interaction influences their overall learning experience. It examines traditional and emerging asynchronous computer-mediated communication using rich media. Findings indicate that interaction value and effectiveness vary by context. Learners distinguish between interaction types and regard informal interaction as as important as formal interaction, with blogging valued equally and sometimes exceeding instructor-directed discussion board activity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Active engagement and interaction

Interaction equivalency in online environments

Technology-mediated communication and learning design

International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning Volume 10, Number 1. ISSN: 1492-3831 February – 2009 Interaction Equivalency in Self-Paced Online Learning Environments: An Exploration of Learner Preferences Jason F. Rhode Northern Illinois University USA Abstract This mixed methods study explored the dynamics of interaction within a self-paced online learning environment. It used rich media and a mix of traditional and emerging asynchronous computer-mediated communication tools to determine what forms of interaction learners in a selfpaced online course value most and what impact they perceive interaction to have on their overall learning experience. This study demonstrated that depending on the specific circumstance, not all forms of interaction may be either equally valued by learners or effective. Participants differentiated among the various learning interactions available and indicated that informal interactions were as important as formal interactions in determining the quality of the online learning experience. Participants also reported the activity of blogging as being equally valued and in some ways superior to instructor-directed asynchronous discussion via the discussion board in a learning management system. Keywords: interaction, equivalency, mixed methods, distance education, instructional design, self-paced, online learning, online, learning environments, blogs, blogging, educational social software, social networking Introduction It is widely accepted that learning takes place through active engagement rather than passive transmission (S. W. Brown & King, 2000; Dobrovolny, 2006; Jonassen, 1999; Mezirow, 1997) . This principle of active intercourse with either concepts or agents has been commonly labeled as“interaction.” It is through such interactions that knowledge can be constructed in a meaningful and memorable fashion. The precept of interaction is perhaps one of the most documented and disputed aspects of education, serving as a foundational component for many seminal and contemporary approaches to understanding the phenomenon of learning (Anderson, 2003) . Interaction Equivalency in Self-Paced Online Learning Environments: An Exploration of Learner Preferences Rhode Having been hailed as one of the catalysts for movement from teacher-directed to learnercentered approaches, interaction is understood to be a fundamental element for quality learning environments (Flottemesch, 2000; Garrison & Anderson, 2003; Juwah, 2006; Kearsley, 1995; Picciano, 2002; Sherry, 1996) . Often conceptualized as the mechanism whereby participants in the learning environment communicate with each other and respond to each other’s needs, interaction can also be generalized to reflect a wide array of processes – whether intrapersonal, Page | 2 interpersonal, or interfacing with technology agents (Hirumi, 2006; Mayes, 2006) . In the simplest context, however, interaction is engagement in learning (Wanstreet, 2006) . Yet the design and support of learning interactions that are both genuinely engaging and conceptually stimulating within online learning contexts remains a significant challenge in contemporary education as institutions seek to not only meet the needs of learners but also to accommodate the disciplinary differences in the ways that learners prefer to interact and the affordances of the communication tools selected (Ravenscroft & McAlister, 2006; Smith, Torres-Ayala, & Heindel, 2008) . No matter how one defines interaction, based on recent research it is clear that when the level of interaction is inadequate or nonexistent, learners often feel isolated and an overall degradation of the learning experience can take place (Bibeau, 2001; Howland & Moore, 2002; Mann, 2005; Wanstreet, 2006) . Conversely, the learning experience is enriched as learners engage in interactions within the learning environment that serve to scaffold the synthesis, evaluation, and application of kn

FAQs

How do learners compare informal interaction with formal interaction?

Participants report that informal interactions are as important as formal interactions in determining the quality of the online learning experience.

Sep 21, 2026

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