1. SOCIAL PRESENCE IN ONLINE COURSES: AN EXAMINATION OF PERCEIVED
LEARNING AND SATISFACTION
A Dissertation
by
NASRIN NAZEMZADEH
Submitted to the Graduate School
Prairie View A&M University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
November 2008
Major Subject: Educational Leadership

2. SOCIAL PRESENCE IN ONLINE COURSES:
AN EXAMINATION OF PERCEIVED LEARNING AND SATISFACTION
A Dissertation
by
NASRIN NAZEMZADEH
Approved as the style and content by:
___________________________________
William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D
(Dissertation Chair)
______________________________
______________________________
David E. Herrington, Ph.D. Tyrone Tanner, Ed.D.
(Member) (Member)
___________________________________
Solomon Osho, Ph.D.
(Outside Member)
_____________________________
______________________________
Lucian Yates III, Ph.D. William H. Parker, Ed.D.
Dean, Whitlowe R. Green College of Education Dean, Graduate School

3. November 2008
ABSTRACT
Social Presence in Online Courses: An Examination of Perceived Learning and
Satisfaction
(November 2008)
Nasrin Nazemzadeh, B.S., Isfahan University
M.A., Florida State University
M.B.A., Southeastern Louisiana University
Dissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D.
Online education is the fastest growing segment of the higher education industry
(The Sloan Consortium, 2007). Because of its relatively recent vintage, practitioners have
adopted online education without a thorough understanding of the problems and
challenges unique to it, and also without clear view of the societal benefits, i.e., of what is
being accomplished. This is a case of practice jumping ahead of theory. The purpose of
the study is to examine the role of social presence in online courses at a community
college. Specifically, the study will examine the relationship of social presence in online
courses to students’ perceived learning and to their satisfaction with the instructor. The
study will provide administrators and faculty with information to improve the design and
delivery of online education.
The study aims at identifying the factors that contribute to students’ satisfaction
with online education. Particular attention is paid to the extent to which social presence is
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4. diminished, the motivation to learn decreases, and a sense of isolation is heightened in
online experience.
Data were gathered by administering a measuring instrument to a sample of
students. The instrument contains both quantitative and qualitative variables. Descriptive
statistics, multiple regression analysis, and estimation of binary dependent variable
models using the logit method were applied to the data.
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5. DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to the memory of my loving husband, mentor, and best
friend, Dr. Asghar Nazemzadeh. Without his constant support, this work would not have
been possible. I owe a special debt of gratitude to my mother, Mrs. Aghdas Nazemzadeh,
who believed in me, and who encouraged me to finish. My son, Dr. Reza Nazemzadeh,
who each day fills my heart with pride, motivated me to finish. Thank you, little Pooya,
my baby, for you filled my days with happiness during your short life.
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6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A special thanks to my mother who instilled in me a reverence for learning. My
deepest gratitude goes to my late husband who gave me wisdom and strength, and to my
very loving and wonderful sons.
I gratefully acknowledge the wise guidance of Dr. William Kritsonis, who helped
me to see things clearly and to stay focused. He also gave me the opportunity to publish
and encouraged me to do so. A special thanks to Dr. William Parker, the Dean of
Graduate School, for his constant support and encouragement. I would like to thank Dr.
David Herrington for his professional expertise and time. I would like to thank Dr.
Solomon Osho for his professional expertise, encouragement and support. I would like to
thank Dr. Tyrone Tanner for his support. Dr. Mary Alice Kritsonis read several drafts of
this work; her critical comments and suggestions were invaluable.
I acknowledge the support of Dr. Raymond Hawkins, President of Lone Star
College-Tomball and Dr. Judy Murray, Vice President of Lone Star College-Tomball.
Professor Joe Cahill provided valuable help with the data collection by administering the
survey to students in the Division of Business and Technology at Lone Star College-
Tomball.
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7. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………..iii
DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………………………………… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………… vii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………..1
Background of the problem................................................................................... 3
Statement of the Problem……………………........................................................ 4
Research Questions ……………………………………………………………… 9
Null Hypotheses………………………………………………………………….. 9
Purpose of the Study …………………………………………………………. 10
Significance of the Study.......................................................................................10
Assumptions ..........................................................................................................11
Delimitations of the Study.....................................................................................11
Limitations of the Study...................................................................................….
11
Definitions of Terms..............................................................................................12
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE…………………………………………. 15
Overview...……………………………………………….……………………... 15
History of Distance Education ...………………………………………………...15
First Generation.........................................................................................15
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8. Second Generation.................................................................................... 17
Third Generation....................................................................................... 21
Fourth Generation..................................................................................... 24
Next Generation........................................................................................ 26
Theories of Distance Learning............................................................................. 28
Transactional Distance............................................................................. 28
Interaction Theory..................................................................................... 31
Social Context........................................................................................... 31
Control (Locus of Control)........................................................................32
Online Learning: Potential Advantages and Drawbacks .................................... 32
Potential Advantage.................................................................................. 32
Flexibility, Convenience of Access and sense of Control.............33
Democratic Learning Environment................................................33
Enhanced Level of Interactivity within the Learning
Community .................................................................................. 34
Potential for Collaborative Learning............................................ 35
Facilitates Higher Level Learning.................................................36
Potential Problems: Failure of Leadership............................................... 39
Online Learning Barriers ......................................................................... 39
Enrollment Growth.............................................................................................. 42
Social Presence......................................................................................................45
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY................................................................................. 52
Introduction........................................................................................................... 52
Research Questions.............................................................................................. 52
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9. Null Hypotheses.................................................................................................... 53
Research Methodology......................................................................................... 53
The Logit Model ................................................................................................. 58
Research Design................................................................................................... 61
Subjects of Study............................................................................................. .... 61
Instrumentation.................................................................................................... 61
Procedures............................................................................................................ 62
Reliability and Validity......................................................................................... 62
Data Collection..................................................................................................... 63
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS OF DATA ………………………………………….……..64
Research Questions............................................................................................. 64
Null Hypotheses................................................................................................... 64
CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS........... 82
Summary.............................................................................................................. 82
Problem...................................................................................................... 82
Purpose of Study....................................................................................... 82
Research Questions................................................................................... 83
Null Hypotheses....................................................................................... 83
Methodology............................................................................................ 84
Summary of Findings........................................................................................... 84
Conclusions........................................................................................................ 87
Recommendations.............................................................................................. 87
Recommendations for further study.................................................................. 90
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10. REFERENCES................................................................................................................. 92
APPENDICES............................................................................................................. 118
Appendix A Lone-Star College-Tomball Students’ Survey............................ 119
Appendix B Consent to Participate in Research............................................... 125
Appendix C Letter to the President of Lone-Star College-Tomball................ 128
Appendix D Sample Computer Output for Table 9.......................................... 131
VITA............................................................................................................................. 155
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