RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Date: ______10/23/16

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:

Historical development of distance education-online learning.
Online learning has become the standard form of delivery for distance education
programs in a number of post-secondary institutions in more economically
advanced countries. The value of online learning depends on a number of
different factors, and therefore the article will focus particularly on the appropriate
conditions necessary for the successful use of online learning in distance
education. The first teaching online started in the early 1980s, based on the
invention of computer conferencing by Murray Turoff in 1970 (Hiltz and Turoff,

1978, p. 43). Early computer conferencing depended on local computer

networks, usually within a single institution. One of the first institutions to offer
teaching through computer conferencing was the New Jersey Institute of
Technology in the USA. Using specially designed computer conferencing
software called Virtual Classroom, between 1985 and 1987 Roxanne Hiltz
and Murray Turoff constructed a prototypical virtual classroom, offering many
courses fully or partially online. (Hiltz, 1990, p. 134).
Why use online learning in distance education?
There are several different if related reasons for the drive towards more use of
online learning in distance education.
Increased access
One reason for its use in Canada and the USA is that most students now have
access to the Internet. However, one must be careful in making this kind of
assumption. The University of British Columbia, for instance, is a large public
research university that requires very high grades from high school before
students are admitted. Most of the students come from relatively affluent families
and those that do not, have relatively generous scholarships available.
Consequently over 90 per cent of students entering UBC already have a
computer and Internet access at home. UBC is not an open university, and can
therefore require students to get a computer, if necessary.
Distance Learning: Best Apps, Tools and Online Services
Distance learning solutions and online educational tools are rapidly growing in
popularity and effectiveness with teachers, colleges and university-level
programs worldwide.
Adobe Connect - Much like teachers and students need to know their way

around the companys ubiquitous PDF files, it also pays to be familiar Adobes
collaboration and learning solutions.
Blackboard - Blackboard is a platform for education that functions much like the
blackboard in traditional classrooms. It provides a number of different ways for
teachers and students to collaborate and connect, all in one easy-to-use place.
Canvas - Canvas is an open source solution to online collaboration thats
designed to be as simple as possible to users.
Coursera - Coursera is an online portal that hosts courses from universities
around the country and the world, essentially providing a way for students
anywhere to audit classes they would otherwise not have access to.
ePals - Collaboration site ePals offers a way for groups of students around the
world to be matched up and paired with other classrooms, and allows teachers to
create their own projects or join another class existing ones.
FaceTime - Just as millions of everyday users have come to embrace Apples
popular videoconferencing tool, so too should teachers and educators give it a
look its among the simplest and most widely-available ways to connect via
voice and video with others online.
Google Plus Hangouts - Googles social network shines for its own online video
chat solution as well, which lets teachers, students and third-party experts easily
videoconference in groups weve even seen it used to broadcast presenters
live to packed auditoriums.

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 learning involves a high level of interaction between teacher and student,
interaction that is essential if the learning process in a virtual environment is to be
successful. A virtual learning environment allows learners and those engaged in
education and teaching to free themselves from the limitations of time and space, and
carry out learning interactions in a flexible timeframe and at virtual sites that are not
physically tied to one another. Computer technology has made people and information
sources of information universally accessible and available at any place and at any
time. The development of information and communication technologies including the
Internet and their introduction into the school system afford a host of distance learning
activities. These include the integration of numerous information sources; simulation of
experiences; team work and collaborative learning free of the confines of geographical
distance; an open dialogue among learners, including debate, discussion and exchange
of views and ideas; and a worldwide network for dissemination of knowledge, exchange
of ideas and collaboration. Likewise, through computer communications technology, the
typical classroom is no longer confined to four walls and a sage on the stage, but is
open to students and experts around the world.
In my school there are lots of tools that we use for online learning Naviance, helps
educators to measure progress on a wide variety of key performance indicators (KPIs),
including individual learning plans, college application data, and post-secondary
outcomes such as college enrollment and completion rates. Through Naviance`s unique
partnerships, such as their collaboration with the National Student Clearinghouse,

schools and districts can create custom reports to track outcomes such as college
enrollment and time to college completion for specific groups of students from a school.
Schools can also see outcomes for graduates going back up to 8 years.
Naviance empowers schools to analyze results based on specific segments of the
student population, so administrators and counselors can compare year-over-year
progress and break down data by any number of criteria, including gender, ethnicity and
class year. Educators looking to prepare students for the SAT or ACT can even
leverage Naviance`s real-time reporting tools within PrepMe, online adaptive learning
platform, to see how students are performing against college readiness standards,
including the Common Core.
Also, my school uses Eduphoria online tools as well. In euphoria teachers can get
student Scores, student subjective breakdown, student SE breakdown, student
individual responses, student TELPAS Proficiencies and rating.
After this research, I understand that the tools we use are not randomly chosen or are
just for activities. Distance learning has undeniably changed the way people are
educated. It will continue to change the way business is conducted and it will continue to
change the global market place. While universities, corporations, and governments are
rapidly embracing this tool for learning, many issues remain. This paper has attempted
to identify some of these issues. It is imperative that the pedagogy continues to evolve
and grow as technologies change.

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:
1. Hiltz, S.R. and Turoff. M. (1978) The Network Nation: Human Communication via
Computer Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc.
2. Steinberg S. Distance Learning: Best Apps, Tools and Online Services
Retrieved Oct 23, 2013 from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-steinberg/distancelearning
3. Bates T.(n.d) Online Learning Tools and Technologies
From http://www.tonybates.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/online-learning-tools.pdf
4. Bates, A.W. (2000) Managing Technological Change: Strategies for College and
University Leaders San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
5. Measure What Matters Across the Student Lifecycle. (N.d.). Retrieved May 10,
2016, from http://www.naviance.com/college-and-career-readiness
platform/college-planning/reporting-analytics