Web-based distance education and Native professional communities: social and cultural constraints

Abstract

The use of distance education is one means of increasing educational opportunities in rural Native communities. Studies indicate that educational outcomes can be similar for face-to-face courses and distance courses, although distance students are less likely to persist. Native American students tend to be unsuccessful in meeting their educational goals on mainstream campuses, primarily due to the cultural conflict they encounter. If distance and face-to-face courses from mainstream universities yield similar outcomes, Native American students can expect to perform poorly at each. This study used an anonymous survey to assess the level of cultural and social conflict experienced by working professionals in a Native setting taking an on-line graduate level course from a mainstream university. The reasons cited by potential students for taking or not taking the course were also examined to assess the obstacles to and motivations for participating in distance courses. Students reported experiencing no instances of cultural conflict. Most students (88%) cited lack of time and a busy schedule as the biggest obstacles they encountered. This was true of both students that finished the course and those that did not. Persistence was not high: 36 people expressed an interest in the course and ten registered. Of those ten, one dropped, three were non-starts (did not participate and did not drop), four received incompletes, and three finished. Of those that expressed an interest in the course but did not register, 75% reported lack of time and a busy schedule as reasons for not taking the course. These findings are in keeping with other studies of distance students. Of the total survey population (students and non-students), 92% said they would consider taking a distance course in the future and 71% said their employer would support their efforts to take a distance course. The ability to fit a course into a busy schedule was the most commonly cited reason for taking a distance course in the future (46%), followed closely by remote accessibility (42%). Affordability was the most commonly cited priority (67%), followed by the level of credit (54%; most are interested in graduate credit) and content (50%).