Understanding Online Education Through the Lens of Service Separation (ARC Discovery Project administered by Monash University) (2014–2016)
Abstract:
This project examines consumer perceptions of and their differential responses to traditional vs. online
education through the lens of service separation. Service separation implies that the production and
consumption of the service do not take place simultaneously. Thus, online course offerings, which are posted
on the Internet and accessed remotely by students, represent a separated service. In contrast, traditional
education represents an unseparated service, as the teaching and learning occur simultaneously in the
classroom. We explain student preference for one mode of education delivery over the other in terms of their
psychological motivation. The outcomes of our research are expected to influence the provision of higher
education.