Background: Nationally, many public universities have started to
move into the online course and program market that was previously
associated with for-profit institutions of higher education. Public
university administrators state that students seek the flexibility of
online courses. But do students want to take courses online, especially
freshmen-level science courses perceived to be difficult?
Purpose: This study investigated student views related to the
potential of a physics course they were currently enrolled in being
offered online.
Sample: This study took place at a large, public, mid-western university
and involved students enrolled in either the first or second semester
of a face-to-face flipped physics course for engineering technology
majors.
Design and methods: Discussions with students during the semester
about their online course experiences and expectations were used to
develop the concourse and subsequently the Q sample to perform
a Q methodology study about students’ views regarding taking
physics courses online. Additional statements for the concourse and
Q sample were taken from communications with administrators at
the university. In this way, the statements sorted by the students
included those from students and those from administrators. Factor
analysis of the Q sorts resulted in three factors, each representing a
unique perspective. Interpretations of these perspectives included
the analyses of the Q sorts, the researcher’s interactions with students
and administrators, and students’ written responses regarding their
previous online course experiences and their sorting decisions.
Results: Three unique student views emerged were named: keeping it
real and face-to-face, Online could be ok depending upon the course
and instructor, and Online not for STEM classes. Consensus among
the views is also discussed.
Conclusions: Overall, students’ views are negative concerning having
physics courses, including labs, online and those views conflict with
statements expressed by administrators regarding students’ desires
for online courses at the university.
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