| The nature of communication in the online learning environment has been mostly dominated by the mechanized communication of writing using asynchronous discussion and/or synchronous text-based chat (Card, Polin, Parra, Rhoads, & Sartori, 2006) rather than synchronous voice/text (SVT). When used alone, asynchronous text (AT) has the potential to limit social presence and may lead to reduced motivation, immediacy of responses, and learner satisfaction (Cain, 2000 Jurczyk, Benson, & Savery, 2004 Logan, 2004). The purpose of the study was to examine student perceptions of voice and experiences in the asynchronous/synchronous, voice/text course environment. The study used a single case study design within the framework of qualitative research and was bound by the beginning and end of a six-week virtual communication technologies course at an accredited four-year university. The data gathered and analyzed included observation notes, documents, and interviews. All participants interviewed felt that voice provided a significant contribution to the asynchronous and synchronous text environment. The participants spoke of voice as "the next best thing to being there" and that the synchronous voice/text environment provided immediacy, clarification, and most important interaction with the professor. Even though voice was valued by the participants the asynchronous environment in the course room was considered to be the most essential communication hub in the virtual environment. A recurring point by the participants throughout the study was the importance of providing students a choice of computer-mediated communication tools. The results of the study suggest that enhancing the instructional design of asynchronous learning environments with synchronous voice has the potential to provide a more natural environment in which the foundation for future interactions can be created. The sound of voice, especially the professor's, can enhance social presence, reflect personality of the professor and peers, enhance the constructivist learning environment, and add a human touch to the virtual environment. The most important result of this study was the participants need to have the opportunity to choose from multiple communication methods. |
