Cognition and distance learning
Journal of the American Society for Information Science - Special issue on perspectives on distance independent education
Intelligent assistance for teachers in collaborative e-learning environments
Computers & Education
VECIMS'09 Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE international conference on Virtual Environments, Human-Computer Interfaces and Measurement Systems
Using RSS to support mobile learning based on media richness theory
Computers & Education
ICHL'11 Proceedings of the 4th international conference on Hybrid learning
The effect of moderator's facilitative strategies on online synchronous discussions
Computers in Human Behavior
Learning effects of RFID-based game-guided learning in libraries
International Journal of Mobile Communications
A preliminary study of disturbing silence in asynchronous discussion forums
ICHL'12 Proceedings of the 5th international conference on Hybrid Learning
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Distance learning is different from regular learning in the classroom. One of the main factors which influence the effectiveness of the learning process is the interaction that exists between the teacher and the student. Our research indicates that different interactions have different effects. There are two methods used for implementing distance learning systems, i.e. synchronous and asynchronous. Our research is based on the model developed by Oliver and McLaughlin. According to this model, there exist five types of teacher-student interactions: social, procedural, expository, explanatory and cognitive. The present study refers to the cognitive interaction and differentiates between surface processes and deep processes. The study presents different variables and their influences on the students' achievements and their satisfaction from learning via a synchronous versus an asynchronous distance learning system. The interaction level between the students and the teacher and among the students was found to be a significant factor in determining the effectiveness of the teaching method. The observations and interviews which we held with the students helped clarify the information that was obtained using the quantitative research tools, and showed that the presence of a teacher-student interaction which accompanies the learning process is very important for all learners. However, students with high-level thinking can overcome the low-level of interactions in asynchronous learning.