An Analysis of Perceptions and Engagement in Distance Delivered Courses by College of Agriculture Students

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a nationwide shutdown that would result in the US education system changing course delivery methods. As a result, distance education is exponentially rising and is becoming a critical component for fulfilling requirements in a higher education degree. However, in considering the increase in enrollment of distance education learners, previous research has tended to disregard focus on examining the quality of online courses and how they determine techniques and methodology that engage student learning to offer effective distance learning environments. This study examined distance education students' perception of support from instructors' technological and pedagogical methods for their degree programs. The findings demonstrated the integral role of specific technological tools. Furthermore, the relationship between students' self-reported course grades and satisfaction with their distance education experience was also examined. Notably, it was found that students who reported higher grades generally expressed higher satisfaction levels, emphasizing the notion that effective learning processes and outcomes are closely related to student satisfaction.