Abstract of the seminar

This seminar will be presented by a new member of staff at CRIDAL, Dr Namin Shin. She will present the results of her doctoral thesis, an empirical study examining to what extent distance students’ relationships with an educational institution can affect their learning outcomes. Whether in face-to-face or in distance education, it is important for students to have a channel through which to access institutional cultures and norms, given their significant impact on academic success. For students involved in distance learning, however, having physical access to the institution can be challenging. Dr. Shin’s study concerns distance students’ psychological access to educational institutions through the concept of "presence."

The practice of distance education, as found in Open Universities, is typically characterized by systems approaches: instructional materials, as well as student support systems, are systematically designed, developed, and implemented at an institutional level. Within such an educational environment, it is critical for distance students not to lose their sense of studentship and to maintain contact with staff members of the institution. With the novel construct of Transactional Presence (TP), Dr. Shin’s study attempts to substantiate the effect of the student-institution relationship on learning outcomes. The results of survey analysis will be presented at the seminar, revealing the empirical relationships between a distance student’s sense of institutional TP and learning achievement, satisfaction, and intent-to-persist. Dr Shin will also share her thoughts and seek feedback on how her approach could be applied in the Hong Kong context, specifically with students at the OUHK.

Brief biography of speaker

Dr. Namin Shin joined CRIDAL in August this year as a research fellow. She earned her doctoral degree from the Pennsylvania State University, with a dissertation entitled “Beyond Interaction: Transactional Presence and Distance Learning.” She received her master’s degree in the field of adult and lifelong education, with the thesis “A study on the perspectives on adult learners within the critical paradigm of adult education” at Seoul National University. Before joining CRIDAL, she worked with Dr. Michael Moore at the American Center for the Study of Distance Education.

Dr. Shin’s interest in distance education developed through her involvement in Korea National Open University, where she worked in the Division of Planning, formulating a strategic plan and helping to promote the University. Her academic interests in distance and adult education include the socio-historical understanding of distance education, the liaison between distance education and lifelong learning, the human dimension of distance education, adult learning theories and practices, and the human-media interface. Further details of her curriculum vitae, including publications, are available at http://www.ouhk.edu.hk/cridal/staff/namin/vitae.htm.