Eva Stein

Instructor-initiated Communication and Student Outcomes: in Online Courses Eva Stein

This applied research study was a correlation studythat examined instructor-initiated communication asit related to student completion rates, studentsatisfaction ratings, and modified grades in onlinecoursework. Selected online courses from aPennsylvania college were evaluated for the frequencyand type of instructor-initiated communication asobserved through the Blackboard learning managementsystem. The study included instructor-initiatedcontacts such as discussion forum postings, emails,announcements, and links provided via course work andhandouts. Results were analyzed for a correlationbetween instructor-initiated online communication andstudent completion rates, student satisfactionratings, and modified grades. Findings suggested apositive linear relationship between totalinstructor-initiated communication frequency andcompletion rates and student satisfaction ratings. Aninverse relationship was found between the frequencyof instructor-initiated communication and modifiedgrades. In addition, it was suggested that correctiveand Socratic communication types had a greaterinfluence on student outcomes.