Social-Academic Climate in Online Learning Environments

Abstract: This paper is based on a study that examined students' perceptions of social-academic climate in several faculties and departments at the Ariel University Center over five years. Findings indicate the significance that students attribute to various dimensions of social-academic climate. Findings also show that students attribute greater significance to instructors' attitude to students and less significance to course organization in faculties and departments that are characterized by positive inter-personal interactions between students and instructors. In faculties and departments in which interpersonal interactions between students and instructors are not intensive, students attribute significance to scholastic aspects of courses. Even in the technological era, social-academic climate has not lost is importance, and its contribution to students' sense of satisfaction is critical.