From traditional distance education to online education: Main issues in Portuguese management studies

The objective of this paper is to define and share the conception of a research about the population of Portuguese Open University students who are enrolled in curricular units of the Bachelor in Management. We intend to build up a questionnaire to identify the following analytical dimensions: 1) the study and work practices of students in current traditional distance learning; 2) the student’s interactions with new technologies in terms of internet environment and basic software programs; and 3) the student’s expectations towards on-line learning. The expected results are: first, to evaluate the actual level of predisposition and preparation regarding on-line learning and, second, to identify strategies which need to be adopted in order to provide success on this new configuration of learning. Key-words: On-line learning; Traditional distance learning; Adoption of Communication and Information Technologies; Technology acceptance