Innovation in Language Learning
Digital Interaction and Communication in Distance Education: Perspectives of Czech and Chinese University Students
Daniel Ecler, Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic)
Abstract
The rapid transition to distance education significantly changed the ways in which university students communicate, interact and participate in the learning process. Although digital technologies provide new opportunities for educational communication, students’ perceptions of online interaction may be influenced by their educational and cultural backgrounds. This study focuses on communication, interaction and student engagement in distance education from the perspectives of university students in the Czech Republic and China. It aims to explore how students perceive communication with teachers and peers in technology-mediated learning environments and to identify similarities and differences between the two cultural contexts. The study forms part of a broader mixed-methods research project investigating university students’ perceptions of distance education. The quantitative component is based on questionnaire data collected from students at Palacký University Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Dalian University of Foreign Languages in China. Selected aspects of communication, interaction and participation are analysed comparatively. The quantitative data are complemented by qualitative data obtained through case studies and semi-structured interviews with selected Czech and Chinese students. By focusing specifically on the communicative and interactive dimensions of distance education, the study seeks to contribute to a better understanding of culturally responsive digital pedagogy and the development of online and blended learning environments that support meaningful student participation.
Keywords: Distance education; digital interaction; online communication; student engagement; higher education; cross-cultural comparison
REFERENCES
[1] Moore, M. G. (1989). Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1–7.
[2] Uzuner, S. (2009). Questions of culture in distance learning: A research review. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3).
