Abstract
This investigation reviews published empirical studies that attempted to support or to validate transactional
distance theory (Moore, 1993). It was found that either data only partially supported the theory or, that if they
apparently did so, the studies lacked reliability, construct validity, or both. It was concluded that the basic
propositions of transactional distance theory were neither supported nor validated by empirical research findings. Furthermore, it was found that the theory may be reduced to a single proposition (as the amount of dialogue increases, transactional distance decreases) and that this proposition may be construed as a tautology.
distance theory (Moore, 1993). It was found that either data only partially supported the theory or, that if they
apparently did so, the studies lacked reliability, construct validity, or both. It was concluded that the basic
propositions of transactional distance theory were neither supported nor validated by empirical research findings. Furthermore, it was found that the theory may be reduced to a single proposition (as the amount of dialogue increases, transactional distance decreases) and that this proposition may be construed as a tautology.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Journal | Quarterly Review of Distance Education |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 2005 |