The Difference In The Effects Of Longitudinal Effects Of Network Latency On STEM And Non-STEM Students

Abstract

As enrollment in online courses increases faster than the overall enrollments in higher education, the differences in learning styles and academic disciplines need to be identified.  Further, the focus on the demand for students pursuing degrees in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has gained prominence in the past decade.  An experiment was conducted to study the interaction of objective learning and subjective learning, objective learning and enjoyment, and subjective learning and enjoyment on the longitudinal effects of network latency on students who were classified as STEM majors or non-STEM majors (humanities and social sciences).  The findings indicate that students from different majors responded differently by the time students have progressed to their senior year in reference to their learning styles and sensitivity to network delays than it was when they were freshmen.  The study suggests that the accumulation of experience and choice of major are important factors in mitigating the effects of network delay on learning.