The effect of Panopto on academic performance and satisfaction of traditional-Distance Education students

Distance Education (DE) is a growing alternative to classroom instruction. Distant programs provide unprecedented access to education to the many students that would otherwise be unable to enroll in classes, from working adults who cannot fit traditional classroom schedules into work and family responsibilities, to the more traditional students that cannot fit a class into a busy academic schedule (Mendenhall, 2007). However, for many participants, the appealing features of DE are offset by their perception of social isolation, particularly from their instructor. DE is often criticized because of the lack of face-to-face instructor-student interactions (Richardson and Swan, 2003). To address issues stated above, this research was conducted with the primary goal to test and validate the effectiveness of Panopto, a tool that provides a "virtual lecture" ambiance into online deliveries which lack the conventional aspects of classroom interaction. Panopto allows educators to capture, edit, and stream audio and video via the web and provides indexing and archiving capabilities as well. Captured materials can be searched, linked, and annotated through the software, and recorded materials can be embedded in Blackboard Vista. It gives students on-demand access to indexed lectures and course material, enabling them to experience or revisit entire lectures, or to focus on segments of their choice.