Perceptions and Experiences of E-Learning among On-Campus Students

Introduction

The perceptions and experiences of on-campus LIS students who are required to take online classes are essential to extending research in online learning in LIS. Up to this point, most work has examined online distance learners in online LIS courses or programs, or on-campus learners in face-to-face classes, and has frequently compared the two. Less studied is the experience of on-campus students taking online classes. Being aware of the factors at play for these students is increasingly important as more LIS programs introduce online instruction locally or through consortia such as WISE (Web-based Information Science Education). More students who anticipate a completely face-to-face curriculum in graduate school will be required to take some classes online. Some will do so because of institutional policy, others by delivery situations (such as those at the SLIS) in which it is not possible to complete the degree by taking only on-campus classes. Similarly, many students nationwide are required to use e-learning technologies in their on-campus classes. Adding the approach of this chapter to research methods in LIS online learning will help us improve LIS education by understanding the issues involved when we require on-campus students to take online classes, and be better attuned to the experiences of these students in order to improve their satisfaction.

We present the major factors identified in this data analysis, putting them in the context of the literature and theory about e-learning in LIS (including hybrid, blended, and mobile forms) and the affective experiences of students in face-to-face and technology-mediated settings. This examination draws on two specific sub-areas of interest: students' experiences with teaching and learning that involve combinations of online and face-to-face components (such as hybrid and blended learning), and students' perceptions of e-learning technologies even (or especially) when they are used in non-remote settings. The chapter concludes with implications for research and practice in librarianship.