RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in EDLE & CUIN
EDUC 5324: INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION
Name: Derya Unver

Date: 11.01.2015

Topic Selected: What are some of the innovative tools that research says is
suitable and works great for distance education? Choose one or highlight several
tools that works in distance education according to research.

1. LITERATURE REVIEW:
What does the literature/research say about this issue/topic? By using NAU
Library or Online Search engines, conduct a literature review.

You need to include 5 different sources (book, journal article, web article
etc.) in your review. Try to use current sources as much as possible.

You need to summarize and synthesize your sources by discussing a

common theme or issue.

You don't need to critique your sources

You don't need to evaluate your sources (if the sources are trustworthy,
weather the author has a bias or not)

You need to provide background information such as history and

definitions

Brief Literature Review: Distance education is a new and vital force in

higher education. Distance education is also called distance learning, elearning or online learning. Unlike conventional classroom learning, it is
not bounded by space and time. In fact, teachers and students are
commonly separated by space and time, although they may choose to
interact synchronously or meet periodically over the length of the course.
The second component of the definition of distance education is the
concept of separation of the teacher and student. Most often, separation is
thought of in geographic termsteachers are in one location and students
are in another. Also implied by the definition is the separation of teachers
and students in time .Distance learning also needs to use technology. In
the early days of distance education, radio and television were the media
used to conduct educational activities. Currently, the methods have
extended to the internet, email, software, video, tapes, cameras, etc. In
comparison, instructors and students may choose to use technology in a
conventional classroom teaching but is optional. Sahoo (2001), in his
review of the literature conducted in the area of distance teacher education
in India, discovered gaps between the needs and priorities of distance
education research, and actual attempts made so far in that direction.

Sahoo further found that the major emphasis of research on distance

education technology in particular, has focused almost exclusively on
evaluation of different components of the distance learning system in
terms of different criteria; while research studies on other aspects most
particularly process aspects remain isolated. Kaul (1997), for example,
found that most research conducted in India to date tends to focus on
descriptive surveys confined to comparisons of enrolment trends and
academic achievement. The methodology used for these studies relied
mostly on descriptive survey approaches, experimentation for testing the
efficacy of various approaches/ models, and qualitative data analysis
techniques. Similarly, Sesharatnam (1996) in reviewing research activities
in distance education in the Indian province of Andhra Pradesh, found that
research efforts have been fragmentary and isolated from any established
theoretical perspective. According to Sesharatnam, most studies
conducted to date in India have typically focused on issues at the microlevel and were evaluative in nature. Most studies in India are of a
descriptive type highlighting the status and functioning of a component
of the system. This approach, however, shows the lack of research on
"process-issues" aspects of distance education. It also reveals the
dominance of quantitative research, often at the expense of the more
qualitative aspects of research.
From the foregoing discussion, it is important to understand the processissues for selecting research areas in distance education, and research
design and related methodological approaches used to underpin such
research. Research on the relationship between what goes on while
organizing research, and the product outcomes of research itself, is clearly
an important task in formulating a research design. Understanding the nuts
and bolts of this relationship can improve the quality of research, and
ultimately the whole process of distance education itself.

2. REFLECTION:

What is your personal opinion on this issue? Do you agree with the
research? If you agree or disagree, please explain why?
Provide examples/experiences regarding this issue from school
perspective or If you are not working in a school, from your profession. Be
specific with your examples. You can mention software/hardware names,
specific methods that you plan to use, etc.
How would you implement this research in your career? (At least 1
paragraph)

Reflection:

Distance education is the popular option for nontraditional learners. Distance

education seems a new idea to most educators of today. However, the concepts that
form the basis of distance education are more than a century old. Certainly, distance
education has experienced growth and change recently, but the long traditions of the
field continue to give it direction for the future. I think distance education has
become a major topic in education but education courses should be carefully
designed and developed before instruction begins. Distance education has brought
many new challenges to the teaching and learning process. In the United States,
advances in electronic communications technology helped determine the dominant
medium of distance education. Distance education opportunities are quickly growing
through the use of computer mediated communications. Tens of thousands of networks
are connected to the Internet, with millions of people using the Internet worldwide. Both
credit and noncredit courses have been offered over computer networks since the mid1980s. In most cases, a teacher organizes the course materials, readings, and assignments.
The students read the material, complete assignments, and participate in online
discussions with other classmate. I would love to use computer such as the internet and
instructional software such as blackboard for distance education and also used such
technologies had an impact on the quality of my teaching because use of computer
technology can be very helpful in distance education. The computer is a very useful tool
which is necessarily require the use of a computer for distance education. For example,
Skype provides for a face-to-face virtual coordination to resolve. Blackboard offers a
resource to organize coursework instruction, classroom discussions and group interaction
to improve collaboration and also smartphone provide an immediate access to classmates
to collaborate on projects either one-on-one or in small groups. The smartphone allows
students to text and they are more available than other technology resources. It does
provide a flexible, personal and adaptable tool to encourage student collaboration and
instructor engagement in the creation of knowledge. Teaching style is important to
student interactions no matter whether the student studied a traditional course or a
distance learning course. Some instructors liked to give lectures and did not facilitate
interactions between students in their course. Other instructors encouraged student to
interact using group projects, discussion sessions, asking students to email each other or
posting messages on the discussion board. As a result, students had more opportunities to
interact with each other in their courses. Distance learning and online educational tools
are rapidly growing in popularity and effectiveness with teachers.
If we believe that part of our job as educational institutions is to prepare students for their
future. We need to provide the best tools and services for education and also teachers
should use education technologies that are inexpensive, easy to use, and improve student
learning.
3. REFERENCES:

Cite at least 5 References in APA.

You may use http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-journal for citing
your sources in APA style.

References: Allen, E. and Seaman, J. (2003). Sizing the Opportunity: The

Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2001 and 2003.
Holmberg, B. (1995). Theory and practice of distance education. London/New York:
Routledge.
Molnar, A. (1997). Computers in education: A brief history. The Journal, 24(11), 6368.
Galusha, J. (1998). Barriers to learning in distance education. Retrieved September
20th., 2006,
Husmann, D., & Miller, M. (2001). Improving distance education: Perceptions of
program administrators.
Distance education: The foundations of effective practice. San Francisco, 1991