PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS ONLINE INTERACTION: ISSUES OF GENDER AND AREA OF SPECIALISATION

Abstract

Interaction has continued to occupy strategic position in online teaching and learning at all levels of education. Unlike the conventional method of teaching where interaction is noticeably present among all elements in teaching-learning process, the physical contact between students and instructor in virtual learning environment is usually at the minimal level. Therefore, the level of interaction remains a viable parameter to determine the success or otherwise of any online instruction. However, several factors could hinder effective interaction between learners and instructor in an online learning environment. This study examined the influence of gender and area of specialization of pre-service teachers on their level of participation in online learning. The findings showed that gender had no influence on the extent of online interaction of pre-service teachers across all the departments. However, the area of specialization of pre-service teachers had significant influence of 0.02, which indicated that teaching subject areas could go a long way in determining the extent of interaction in virtual learning environment.