Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine, if any, the effects of the digital age and the role it plays in the success of students registered in the Fundamentals of Speech Communication course. The statistics will be gathered from a comparison study of face-to-face (traditional) versus online (non-traditional) students. In addition, a look will be taken into anxiety levels and the role of resources available to students and determine if they play a role in student success.
Research Questions
1. Comparison Question (Quantitative) - Script: How does (group 1) differ from (group 2) in terms of (dependent variable for the (participants) at (research site)? Application: How do student perceptions of the basic communication skills learned in an online section of the Fundamentals of Speech Communication course compare to student perceptions of the same material in a face-to-face course?
2. Comparison Question (Quantitative) – Script: How does (group 1) differ from (group 2) in terms of (dependent variable) for the (participants) at (research site)? How does the type of student (traditional vs. non-traditional) and delivery method (face-to-face vs. online) affect student’s anxiety levels in Fundamentals of Speech Communication courses?
3. Comparison Question (Quantitative) - Script: How does (group 1) differ from (group 2) in terms of (dependent variable) for the (participants) at (research site)? Application: How do the anxiety levels of traditional students in a Fundamentals of Speech Communication course compare to non-traditional students in a face-to-face course?
