Final answer:
An independent samples t-test is well-suited to examine the differences in feeling connected between students in virtual learning and face-to-face learning environments. Ensuring representative samples and appropriately defining the hypothesis are essential steps. The comparison of means at a 5 percent significance level will determine if the disconnection felt by online learners is statistically significant when compared to their peers in traditional classroom settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
To address the problem of students in online higher education programs feeling disconnected from their peers and instructors, a statistical test can be utilized to examine any differences in outcomes between virtual learning and face-to-face learning. A relevant statistical test model here would be the independent samples t-test, assuming that the student's question refers to quantifying and testing for differences in feelings of disconnection. This t-test compares the means of two independent groups - in this case, the feelings of connection, or perhaps proxy measures such as engagement scores or satisfaction surveys, between students in online programs and their counterparts in face-to-face programs.
Before conducting the t-test, it's crucial to ensure that the samples being compared are representative of their respective populations. This is essential when considering whether the findings of such statistical testing can be generalized to the larger student body of part-time students or the broader population of online learners.
Moreover, it's important to parallel the considerations of a professor who compared final exam scores between online and face-to-face statistics classes. This would involve defining the hypothesis (for instance, whether the mean level of 'feeling connected' is lower for online students), collecting data, and running the t-test at an appropriate level of significance, such as 5 percent, to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the groups.
Given the context, one might draw a comparison-and-contrast paragraph emphasizing the factors influencing student attention and responsibility between the two modes of learning. Differences in interaction patterns and the visibility of engagement may impact students' feeling of connectedness in each environment.