DISTANCE LEARNERSÕ PERCEPTIONS OF COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATION

In this study, perspectives of the first year students in the completely online Information Management Associate Degree Program at Anadolu University regarding computer as a communication medium were investigated. StudentsÕ perspectives on computer-mediated communications were analyzed in the light of three different views in the area of computer-mediated communications: The first view suggests that face-to-face settings are better communication environments compared to computer-mediated environments. The second view argues that if the required time is allocated, interpersonal communications in computer-mediated environments are as effective as face-to-face interpersonal communications. Finally the third view claims that computer-mediated communication is more effective than face-to-face communications. The results have shown that students do not consider computer as a communication medium. One of the reasons of this perspective can be the preconceptions and past experiences of the students on traditional education. Meanwhile shortage of nonverbal social clues, such as body movements, mimics, and so forth, and having doubts about othersÕ identities in the communication process as well as reliability of the postings could be other reasons why the students could not generate positive attitudes about computer-mediated communications.