This study is anchored to the Transactional Distance Thoery of Moore

Within the theory of transactional distance, Moore (1997) suggested the cognitive proximity
between a student and teacher influenced the learning process (Rabinovich et al., 2017). Moore
(1997) examined transactions or transactional distance between teachers and students in
distance learning environments. According to Rabinovich et al. (2017), “transactional distance
refers to the cognitive space between the learners, the instructor, and the content” (p. 127).
Moore (1997) suggested the physical distance between teacher and learner could lead to
potential miscommunication or misunderstandings. As the transactional distance decreased, the
probability that a student would misunderstand also decreased (Moore, 2017; Rabinovich et al.,
2017). In distance education or virtual learning environments, learning was best supported when
the cognitive gap or space between the teacher and student was minimized (Moore, 2017;
Rabinovich et al., 2017). Moore’s theory of transactional distance was a measure of probable
misunderstandings in distance learning environments and aligned to remote learning or online
learning environments (Rabinovich et al., 2017).The environment and educational tools in today’s
distance learning or online learning environment are not the same since Moore introduced the
theory of transactional distance.

The main aim of this study is embedded in the theoretical framework of phenomenology. Each
phenomenological philosopher thought in a different way, whilst being influenced by those who
came before and after. An example of this is Husserl, who saw the experience of things as central
to the truth and subjectivity of human beings. Whilst this was ground breakingly visionary in the
early 20h century, it became a catalyst for diverse forms of phenomenology. This research will
refer to the lifeworld phenomenology, as developed by existential philosophers such as Martin
Heidegger, Jean Paul Sartre, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Maurice Merleau-Ponty.

Heidegger (1995) outlines how experience is relational and formal, and understanding requires
an investigation or formal indications where philosophical analysis needs to be done by an
individual. This leads to an understanding of an experience, which in this study, is focused on
teachers’ narratives in their own right. However, these individual experiences are multilayered.
Somewhat similar to a spider’s web, which is woven with many interconnected threads,
experience is relational, interconnected and complex. An example of this is the use of the
hermeneutic circle (Heidegger, 1927/1996) which enables researchers to capture the cyclic view
of understanding prevalent in hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology and the
interconnected nature of experience. To elaborate further on the concept of experience as
multifaceted, it is possible to examine how learning in a virtual environment differs from learning
in an offline setting. Specifically, teachers and students can now communicate through writing in
a mirage of ways which was historically not possible. This is supported by the findings of
Hermansson and Saar (2017) who confirm that the way students write has changed over time.
Historically, writing was done with ink on parchment. During the last decade, lead pencils and
pens have dominated the materials used for writing and the surface used is paper.