Title:	IDENTIFYING TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES ON E-LEARNING—THE EFFECTS OF EXPERIENCE AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
Author(s):	Elina Uschanov , Erkki Sutinen
ISBN:	978-972-8924-42-3
Editors:	Miguel Baptista Nunes and Maggie McPherson (series editors: Piet Kommers, Pedro Isaías and Nian-Shing Chen)
Year:	2007
Edition:	V I, 2
Keywords:	E-learning, online courses, online instruction.
Type:	Full Paper
First Page:	502
Last Page:	510
Language:	English
Cover:
Full Contents:	click to dowload
Paper Abstract:	The focus of interest in the studies on human-centered issues in e-learning has traditionally been more learner than teacher oriented. However, in the development work of online instruction, teachers’ attitudes and motivation as well as the external factors affecting teachers’ opinions and mental resources have also become important issues of studying. The role of the institution is vital in setting up an encouraging and motivating environment for teachers as well as for learners. Lack of support for online course teachers will inevitably result in lower quality of online instruction and in decrease of teachers’ commitment level. In order to examine teachers’ attitudes on online learning, we conducted a study in which fifty-five online course instructors in universities of Finland completed a questionnaire of 87 questions regarding the role of the instructor in an online course and the overall situation in Finnish institutes. The results revealed differences between teachers in terms of their experience in online instruction and their education in online instruction. The results suggest that teachers with more experience see tutoring in an online course more laborious but also more important than teachers with less experience. The results revealed also that the amount of teachers’ training in online instruction is in correlation with their level of satisfaction towards the support by their university; in universities where the amount and quality of faculty training was high, teachers’ attitudes towards the support by their university were considerably more positive than in universities providing less training.
	Go Back