Accepted Papers from TCEA Symposium 2007

Teaching a University Research Methods Course in
the On-line Synchronous Classroom:
An example using Macromedia’s Breeze

Andrew S. Quinn, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of North Dakota

ABSTRACT: Technology exists that allows educators to offer two way synchronous audio and video delivery of educational curriculum. This paper focuses on such a technology and its use in a research methods course. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate that students were able to learn and found the experience personally and educationally satisfactory. 

Introduction

Higher education courses in social work that are offer at a distance are traditionally delivered using asynchronous technology (Moore 2005). The delivery methods have included email, listservs, threaded discussion groups, and web pages with links to readings, syllabus and readings. In fact, in the field of human services, asynchronous appears to be the dominate choice. For example, Frey, Yankelov, and Faul (2003) discussed how students found the use of the course management software WebCT favorable in assisting with their coursework in a social work human behavior course and a social work research course. In addition, Barnett and Zhu (1999) found that students had favorable opinions on using asynchronous delivery methods to complete their coursework while enrolled in a human behavior course. In fact, in a survey passed out to social work educators, Moore (2005) found that the majority of the courses that are typically offered in the social work curriculum are offered using some form of asynchronous web based delivery. Perhaps the biggest concern cited in the literature on distance education is the lack of face-to-face contact and feelings of isolation. Even educators with online teaching experience do not feel that asynchronous Internet teaching environments are robust enough, for example, to teach clinical skills (Moore, 2005). Recently, technological advances of the Internet have made it possible to provide face to face communication through the use of synchronous two way audio and video. Thus, educational delivery can begin to provide robust approaches similar to the ones found in the in classroom experience. If such a delivery ultimately proves successful then students can attend classes from anywhere in the world. Doing so will breakdown barriers that makes receiving education complex.