Assessing the Comparability of Classroom Environments in Graduate Social Work Education Delivered via Interactive Instructional Television

Abstract

This article reports the comparison of MSW student perceptions of the classroom learning environment among one on-campus and two distance sites linked electronically via interactive instructional television for 13 courses from 1994 through 1998. The authors describe supports provided by the school to make the distance classroom environments comparable. Data analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in students’ overall perceptions between distance and on-campus sites or between the two distance sites, although some differences in policy and practice courses are noted. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are presented.