Students’ Learning Support and Perceptions in an Online Mathematics Course in a Business Faculty

Oct 15, 2026

Online courses are expanding in higher education as information and communication technologies increase access. Although these formats offer time and space flexibility and can foster active learning, they also demand greater student autonomy. This paper outlines key design features of a new prerequisite mathematics online course in a business faculty, combining mostly asynchronous delivery with weekly blended synchronous support. Using five semesters of learning management system content and students’ teaching-evaluation narratives, it links course design to learning support and perceptions. Reported themes emphasize course structure, instructor presence, accessibility and care, challenging yet relevant content, collaborative use of software, and semester-long follow-up supporting learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Course design features

Learning support and perceptions

Data sources and reported themes

Implications for future course versions

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Article 5 | | --- | --- | | Summer 06-30-2020
Students’ Learning Support and Perceptions inan Online Mathematics Course in a Business Faculty
Géraldine Heilporn
Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke, [geraldine.heilporn@usherbrooke.ca](geraldine.heilporn@usherbrooke.ca)[ ](geraldine.heilporn@usherbrooke.ca)[Marie-Eve Desrochers](Marie-Eve Desrochers)
Université de Sherbrooke, [marie-eve.desrochers@usherbrooke.ca](marie-eve.desrochers@usherbrooke.ca)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.1.10825](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2020.1.10825) | | Recommended Citation Heilporn, G., & Desrochers, M.-E. (2020) . Students’ learning support and perceptions in an online mathematics course in a business faculty. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 11(1). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl)rcacea.2020.1.10825 Students’ Learning Support and Perceptions in an Online Mathematics Course in a Business Faculty Abstract Online courses are growing in higher education, resulting from an increased access to information and communication technologies. While such courses allow time and/or space flexibility for both students and instructors, they also promote active learning and require more autonomy from the students. In this paper, we present the main design features of a new prerequisite mathematics online course in a business faculty. While most of the course was designed in an asynchronous mode, it also includes blended synchronous support sessions that students can attend each week. As a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project, we related the design features of the course to students’learning support and perceptions by analyzing the content of the learning management system as well as students’narrative comments in course teaching evaluations over five semesters. The main themes reported concerned the appreciated course design and structure, the enhanced instructor’s presence through commented slideshows and support sessions, the instructor’s accessibility and care, a challenging but relevant course, and collaborative practice with a software application. In particular, the instructor’s presence and follow-up throughout the semester was highlighted by the students as a means to support their learning. Furthermore, most students’ comments reported positive perceptions about the online course and specific design features. Several comments also allowed to identify potential areas for change in a future version on the course, as part of the SoTL research that focuses on teaching and learning improvement. Les cours en ligne sont en augmentation en enseignement supérieur, du fait d’un meilleur accès aux technologies de l’information et de la communication. Outre une flexibilité accrue en termes de tempset/ou d'espace tant pour les étudiants que les enseignants, ces cours favorisent égalementl'apprentissage actif et exigent plus d'autonomie de la part des étudiants. Dans cet article, nous présentons les caractéristiques principales de conception d’un nouveau cours prérequis de mathématiques en ligne dans une faculté d’administration des affaires. Bien que la majeure partie du cours ait été conçue en mode asynchrone, le cours comprend également des séances de soutien en mode synchrone mixte auxquelles les étudiants peuvent participer chaque semaine. Dans le cadre dece projet d’Avancement des Connaissances en Enseignement et en Apprentissage (ACEA), nous avonsmis en relation les caractéristiques de conception du cours au soutien des apprentissages et aux perceptions des étudiants en analysant le contenu du portail de cours en ligne ainsi que les commentaires des étudiants dans les évaluations de l’enseignement au cours de cinq semestres. Les thè

FAQs

What type of course design does the paper present for prerequisite mathematics in a business faculty?

The study presents a new online prerequisite mathematics course designed mainly in an asynchronous mode, while also including blended synchronous support sessions each week that students can attend.

How were students’ learning support and perceptions examined in the study?

The paper analyzes learning management system content and students’ narrative comments from course teaching evaluations collected over five semesters, then identifies recurring themes.

What main themes were reported in students’ feedback?

Students emphasized the course’s appreciated design and structure, an enhanced instructor presence through commented slideshows and support sessions, instructor accessibility and care, a challenging yet relevant course, and collaborative practice with a software application.

Oct 15, 2026

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