Proposal for an instrument for the analysis of interactions in blended learning and distance courses

This study has the purpose to evaluate and improve distance education courses on the field of human formation, offered by a private University in western Mexico. Different approaches have shown the need to use an observation and analysis tool created for this purpose. We then started the task taking as a starting point the model proposed by Gunawardena, Lowe and Anderson (1997), based in the analysis of the interactions between the students in a course. This qualitative approach is complemented by another quantitative approach based on what is proposed by Padilla and Hernández (2012). Once taken the option, we decided to perform an application that allowed us to measure its relevance. The pilot test was applied in seven of the ten courses offered in the first semester of 2015, corresponding to three different subjects. We analyzed a sample of the different pedagogical resources used by the teachers. Given the results, we considered adequate to appeal to the model by Gunawardena, Lowe and Anderson, for the analysis of interactions of a student in a distance course, in combination with the collection of quantitative data, which contributes with new perspectives and enriches the information.