Educational Technology and Web-Based Distance Learning: Views of Undergraduate Engineering Students

1 Cristina Pomales-Garcia, University of Puerto RicoMayagüez starting August 2006. Abstract This study presents the views and perceptions of engineering students on educational technology in general and Web-based distance learning in particular. Content analysis was used to understand the language used by engineering students and identify similarities and differences in views on engineering education between students and educational researchers. Fifty-two enrolled undergraduate engineering students participated voluntarily in the study to answer three questions about educational technology and distance learning. The results of the study show that students know the different types of technology used for educational purposes. On the other hand, the student responses suggest that most students do not fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of using educational technology and distance learning. Many students had misperceptions and negative perceptions about what distance learning is and how it works. Understanding the user perceptions and attitudes can help us design and tune distance learning methods and create stronger learning tools for the educational community.