Most students reported the virtual classroom allowed them to trust, build rapport, and identify with the other students. Out of 79 comments in this theme, 42 were positive, 19 were negative, and 18 were neutral. The majority of responses indicated that the virtual classroom positively affected the formation of relationships. 12 comments specifically said being able to see, hear, and interact with each other allowed students to better understand one another. Others said the synchronous portions of the course allowed them to further build relationships that began asynchronously. 8 comments were made about the audio being more important than the video. Some said this was because it was easier to detect the nuances in conversation which led to better connections. Others said the audio made them feel more able to contribute because their words were not as permanent as they would be in online discussions. Participants also said the synchronous seminars allowed them to better appreciate their peer’s projects and identify similar interests.  When looking at the 19 negative comments, some cited a lack of interaction and feedback during and after seminars, and they felt the seminars did not tie together. Students also explained they felt the seminars were not relevant to them. An example of the categorization and content of comments are located below.

Making the Connection: Theme 1 Results

Within this theme, 28 comments were positive relating to the virtual classroom’s contribution to knowledge development. However, the presence of 24 neutral comments led researchers to believe knowledge development had not reached its full potential in virtual classrooms. 9 comments explained they did not understand what kind of interaction and feedback was expected of them which made them less likely to engage. 10 said the formal style of presentations made them feel there was little opportunity to contribute or interact. 6 said they did not feel like members in a community which led them to feel less confident to offer opinions. 6 students also said they didn’t know much about the topics prior to seminars, making them less likely to engage. 3 also mentioned they did not have enough time to reflect on the development of new knowledge in seminars which limited their ability to give informed feedback in the way online discussions allowed. However, 8 said presenting to the class allowed them to organize their thoughts, and 6 said the received feedback allowed them to make positive changes to their projects they otherwise would not have. 

Making the Connection: Theme 2 Results

When it comes to this theme in the virtual classroom, most benefits seemed to be related to efficiency and students feeling they were able to confidently communicate through the features offered online. 9 comments explained students were more easily able to communicate with the class as a whole. They also liked the efficiency of being able to contact their instructor directly online rather than through messaging systems. 8 students mentioned that they enjoyed the chat function during synchronous meetings because they could privately message one another if they had questions without feeling embarrassed. 7 students said they thought the audio was more important than the video function when it came to communicating. This was because while body language is helpful, it was limited because they were only able to see each other from the shoulders up. It was also mentioned that being able to talk directly released students of the anxiety from making posts that felt more permanent. 

Making the Connection: Theme 3 Results

The main impediments to student engagement pertained to structural and technical natures. Students mentioned an unclear purpose for using the classroom, a lack of organization, and issues with childcare and transportation. 9 students said they wished they had meeting agendas that specified presentation times and provided background notes for each presentation. They said this preparation would help them to better engage in conversation. 7 comments also revealed that students felt the requirement to attend and present during meetings took away from the flexibility and autonomy they anticipated when signing up for the online course. Other said they needed to travel to areas with better internet access which created issues with childcare. Students also mentioned they had problems with setting up their cameras and had issues with compatibility, flash player, and firewalls. However, 4 students explained that the virtual classroom helped their time management and development of technical competence.

Making the Connection: Theme 4 Results

The results for the following themes are located in the child nodes below

•Theme 1: The Virtual Classroom and Relationship Formation

•Theme 2: The Virtual Classroom and Knowledge Development

•Theme 3: The virtual Classroom and Communicating Information

•Theme 4: Aspects Affecting Student Engagement in the Virtual Classroom


Michigan State University

Previous studies have indicated the use of synchronous tools in distance learning can reduce isolation, promote communication, and encourage participation within the class. In “Making the Connection,” the Adobe Connect virtual classroom is applied to online postgraduate teacher education courses. The researchers used Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance to examine the impact the virtual classroom had on learner autonomy and dialogue as described in Moore’s theory.

Making the Connection: Introduction

Garry Falloon (2011) Making the Connection, Journal of Research on
Technology in Education, 43:3, 187-209, DOI: 10.1080/15391523.2011.10782569

Making the Connection Reference

•“What are the students' perceptions of the virtual classroom's effect on communication and relationship formation?"

•"What are the students' perceptions of the virtual classroom’s effect on knowledge development?"

•"What aspects affected students' engagement in the virtual classroom, and how?”


Making the Connection: Research Questions

This study aimed to investigate the virtual classroom’s impact on students’ perceptions of transactional distance. The main focus was on the formation of relationships, the development of knowledge, and the communication of information. These areas were chosen as they are compatible with Moore’s dialogue factor and could impact the sense of learner autonomy. The researchers also set out to examine the affordances or impediments to student engagement in relation to the course structure. 

Making the Connection: Research Aims

30 students taking online classes for their postgraduate diploma or master’s of education degree participated in this study. These online classes used Adobe Connect Pro as their virtual classroom. Participants were interviewed twice throughout the study. Both interviews were conducted a week after the first and second seminars. During the first seminar, students shared their initial project proposals that were to be assessed and received feedback from their peers. During the second seminar, students presented their projects. A week after each seminar, students made comments in a discussion forum about their experience and thoughts. These comments were also included in the data analysis along with the interviews. 

Making the Connection: Methods

When coding the qualitative data from interviews using thematic analysis, four themes were identified that aligned with Moore’s factors of transactional distance, particularly learner autonomy, dialogue and structure. After identifying the themes in the data, the researchers further coded the data relating to each theme as being positive, neutral, or negative. The identified themes are located below:  
• The virtual classroom and relationship formation: the virtual classroom’s effect on student’s ability to get to know and connect with one another. A student’s feeling of belonging in the class

•The virtual classroom and knowledge development: student perception of the virtual classroom’s impact on their understanding of new concepts or the confirmation of existing understandings

•The virtual classroom and communicating information: student perceptions of the virtual classroom’s effect on the communication of information

•Aspects affecting student engagement in the virtual classroom: the encouragements or limitations affecting student participation in the class


Making the Connection: Data Coding

Making the Connection: Results

This study indicated that a virtual classroom can improve dialogue. However, the findings aligned with Moore’s theory in that the extent to which this is possible depends on structural aspects and student perceptions of learner autonomy. In relation to creating dialogue, students generally had positive views on the virtual classroom’s support of relationship formation (theme 1) and information communication (theme 3). However, structural elements seemed to restrict greater benefits. When considering the criteria for dialogue described by Moore, a virtual classroom may be better for collaboration purposes in which students can have more control of its use and management of interactions. While the synchronous aspect of the class could encourage dialogue, Moore’s theory may suggest the dialogue quality depends on other factors not directly related to the classroom itself. Moore’s theory also explains the importance of balance between course structure and autonomy of learners, but he does not describe what this balance should be and how it can be created. This study sheds light on the complexities of creating this balance. Students also experienced technical issues which impaired autonomy and dialogue, but Moore’s theory does not take external structural factors such as these into account. However, by applying Moore’s theory to this study, researchers were able to identify ways in which the theory could be updated when considering technological advancements and the development of online distance learning.

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