Abstract:
The main purposes of this study were to analyze factors that influenced virtual classroom environment design for project-based learning in higher education and to design a virtual classroom environment for project-based learning in higher education. The research methodologies comprised of three steps. The first step was to identify the factors that influence virtual classroom environment design for project-based learning in higher education by analyzing and synthesizing relevant literature and survey the expert's opinion. The second step was to design a virtual classroom environment for project-based learning and to study the factors that influence virtual classroom environment design for project-based learning in higher education; The third step led to a model of virtual classroom environment design. The instruments consisted of online questionnaires for expert opinion, questionnaires about the factors affecting the design of virtual classroom environments for project-based learning, a team learning skills test, and pre-tests and post-tests of information literacy. The subjects in this study were 349 students registered to course, the Information Literacy, Khon Kaen University, second semester of academic year 2007. They were chosen by simple random sampling. The data was analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, factor analysis, and multiple regression. The research results revealed that: 1. The learning achievement factors affecting the design of virtual classroom environments for project-based learning in higher education fall into four categories: pedagogy and instructional design factors, environment and community of learner factors and group dynamic and peer impact factors, and group sizes factors. 2. Group dynamic and peer impact factors and group size were significantly positive correlated with learning achievement at the .05 significance level and only group dynamic and peer impact factors were significantly positive correlated with team learning skills at the .05 significance level. 3. The medium size was higher post-test score than small group size and large group size.
