Students' attitudes toward interaction in online learning: exploring the relationship between attitudes, learning styles, and course satisfaction

This study sought to explore students’ attitudes toward four types of interactions: instructional, affective, collaborative, and vicarious. One hundred and eighty-two students enrolled in online courses at a community college in the southwestern United States participated in the study. Data were collected through online questionnaires and interviews. Nine students participated in interviews that were conducted via online chats or phone calls. The results indicated students had significant differences in their attitudes toward the four types of interactions. Learning style was not a significant predictor of students’ attitudes toward interaction. Learners’ attitudes toward the four types of interactions were related to course satisfaction, and the four attitudes significantly predicted course satisfaction. The interviews explored reasons for students’ attitudes toward interaction, and the interview results corresponded to the findings in the survey study.