Interaction: Student perceptions of knowledge acquisition in the asynchronous learning environment

The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study was to explore how interaction in the asynchronous learning environment affects student perceptions on knowledge construction. Despite the continuing growth of online learning, few researchers have explored ways in which asynchronous discourse affects cognition. The data collection methodology for the study included a digital, six-question, open-ended survey hosted on the online vendor Survey Monkey and completed by 27 teacher candidates. All of the participants had experience taking a traditional and an asynchronous college level course. Conventional content analysis was used, involving an inductive process and the inclusion of the computer analysis program Hermetic Systems Word Frequency Advanced Version Software. The analysis resulted in the identification of six major themes: amount of interaction, questions, peers, participation, convenience, and increased interaction. The main conclusions drawn from this research study were that more interaction than that found in a traditional classroom is required for authentic knowledge acquisition in the asynchronous environment. Asynchronous students construct more knowledge when they are proficient in the four types of interaction: learner-to-instructor, learner-to-learner, learner-to-content, and learner-to-interface. The first set of recommendations included the following: instructors should (a) establish a sense of immediacy, (b) create cybercafes, and (c) use digital tools to track student participation. The final recommendation was that educational leaders should require students to demonstrate technological proficiency before enrolling in an asynchronous course. These recommendations are significant to scholars, practitioners, and leaders in the asynchronous online learning community.