Using Interaction Content Analysis Instruments to Assess Distance Learning

Utilizing the full potential of distance education requires an understanding of how the absence of face-to-face communication affects the relationship between teaching behaviors and learning outcomes. Teachers' awareness of how their teaching behaviors change across distance and conventional contexts can assist them in overcoming the limitations of distance learning. This paper describes the development of two content analysis instruments for analyzing teacher-learner interaction patterns in order to enable educators to (a) identify the effect of separation from learners by space and/or time, (b) examine the relationship between interaction patterns and learning outcomes, (c) identify teacher-learner interactions which comprise essential elements of effective distance education, (d) increase the effectiveness of the instructional design, (e) plan more effective staff development programs, and (f) enable decision makers to assess the effectiveness of distance learning programs.