How do higher education institutions offer online courses for on-campus students? pull and push factors influencing their decisions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reveal the pull and push factors that influence the decisions of administrators and practitioners about online courses offered to students on campus in terms of teaching-learning, course content procurement, and assessment-evaluation dimensions. The study was carried out using nested multi-case studies as a qualitative research method. The sample of the study consisted of four Distance Education Centers (DEC) with at least five years of experience, selected by the snowball and maximum variation sampling methods. The data were obtained using individual semi-structured interviews, institution documents, and Learning Management Systems (LMS), with 24 people working as administrators, content development specialists, program coordinators, and IT specialists at these institutions. It was found that factors like the interaction between students and teachers, legislation, budget, human resources, and organized structuring helped the DECs decide which models to use in the teaching-learning, course content procurement, and assessment-evaluation dimensions.