Teleconference Sessions in Distance Learning Courses: The Influence of Psychological Factors

A teleconferencing learning environment has the potential to increase interaction between educators and learners. Interaction must be designed and continuously supported by the educator. When using teleconferencing in distance education, there is a set of psychological factors which may impact learner involvement. Τhe objective of this study was to identify what psychological factors influence the learner involvement in distance learning courses during teleconferencing sessions. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used as the research tools. The results show that anxiety, learner satisfaction, and expectation of success affect learners and educators in teleconferencing learning environments. Finally, concerning the interconnection of the psychological factors and the effectiveness in teleconferencing sessions as it appears, the main premise of a successful teleconferencing session is laying down the groundwork for adequate planning and preparation taking into account all the influencing psychological factors.