Abstract

Estimates suggest that upwards of 20% of all undergraduate students have enrolled in a distance education course (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). Clearly, the distance learning (DL) format, which we define as instruction in which there is no expectation for the physical copresence of the learner and instructor, is popular when students to register for courses. What is less clear is the degree to which these courses satisfy the expectations held by the students enrolling in them. To address this issue, the present chapter focuses on student satisfaction with distance education and the implications of various technological applications.