RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Name: Patricia Kuhn_______ Date: 11/24/19_________________

Topic Selected:
What does the research say about advantages and disadvantages of distance education?

1. LITERATURE REVIEW: (250 Words)

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

Literature Review:

To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of distance education the articles referenced

in this review were all published in 2019. This was done primarily because distance

education owes its very existence to digital applications and online capabilities and it

doesn’t make sense to review old information when current technology is being used. It

isn’t hard to find current research related to this topic. The following information

supports the idea that online education is growing and that in order for it be successful the

students must be digitally literate. However, there seems to be some conflicting

information regarding actual online students. Some seems to support the idea that online
universities are graduating more students than traditional face to face universities. While

other information shows that many more individuals leave online universities or courses

than traditional universities or courses. Perhaps both is accurate. While more online

graduates exist many more could become disenfranchised by the online experience. One

thing is for sure, online education is growing and is able to reach individuals without face

to fact options.

“For a while now, online education has been a good option for students who – for various

reasons – can’t access on-the-ground education. And although there are still examples of

rudimentary online courses out there (think compliance training), both the technology and

the pedagogy powering online learning have gotten considerably better over the last

decade. Gallup released a study last April, which compared the outcomes of Western

Governors University (WGU) graduates with graduates from other institutions. WGU’s

competency-based education model, where all courses are fully online, stacked up better

than more traditional colleges. WGU graduates full-time employment rate exceeded the

national average by almost 20 percentage points; their grads are nearly twice as likely to

be thriving in their wellbeing, and were more likely to be engaged employees.” (Busteed,

2019.) “Most of the students enrolled at distance universities like UNED share a common

factor: extreme heterogeneity. The collected results show an increasing evolution towards

a better knowledge of digital competences (e.g. social networks or mobile technology),

although there are some gaps which remain almost identical (e.g. informational literacy).”

(Torres, 2019.) “It could be said that the learning process is actually influenced by the

environment in which the technology is used. The presence of learning supported in this

environment may be associated with many variables. Considering the relationship of

online learning readiness with other variables, Horzum, Kaymak, and Gungoren (2015)

found that students’ online learning readiness levels directly predicted their academic
motivation and indirectly predicted their perceived learning. Most of the students (n =

105) stated that the instructional design of the course was suitable, whilst 47 stated it was

not suited to them. Some of the opinions expressed were: ‘It was absolutely suitable;

especially for students with disabilities’. ‘I am more disciplined and more involved in

face-to face instruction’. ‘I like to make eye contact with my instructor so that I can

understand better’. ‘No, because it is easier to interact with classroom teachers in face-to-

face education and to socialise in class’.” (Cabi and Kalelioglu, 2019.) “The advancement

of mobile communication technology has contributed to an increasingly interconnected

world; however, these devices are not being used as effectively as they could be to

improve global challenges. One challenging issue is the lack of preparation college

graduates receive to positively contribute to the needs of an interdependent global

society. Organizations such as the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO), the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), and the

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have recently

declared the critical need for the rising generation to strengthen their global competence,

the capacity to examine societal issues, and work alongside those of various backgrounds

to make a change. School instructors are crucial to preparing students to thrive in

multicultural societies and address present day issues. College-age students headline

mobile phone ownership levels globally (Brooks, 2016), with some countries such as the

United States approximating 100% (Adams Becker et al., 2017; Pew Research Center,

2018).” (Fox, 2019.) “Despite the benefits of online learning to students and to schools,

online programs face a significant challenge – attrition (Angelino, Williams & Natvig,

2007). There are many reasons why a student may withdraw from an online program.

Academic difficulty, issues with motivation, and challenges with learning technologies

can influence the decision to leave an online program (Lee, Choi, & Kim, 2013). Lack of
social interaction is also a key factor in the choice to leave an online program (Ke &

Hoadley, 2009). Students may leave online programs because they struggle with making

friends and receiving social support in distance programs (Hart, 2012). Research on

students in traditional, face-to-face programs suggests that students who develop positive

relationships with peers are less likely to depart from an academic program prematurely

and that students who feel they are a part of a community are less likely to withdraw from

their studies (Tinto, 1997).” (Berry, 2019.)

2. REFLECTION: (250 Words)

 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:
I absolutely agree with the research that more students than ever are taking classes online.

I also agree with the research that for many students, online classes are either the only

option or the preferable option. I received my undergraduate degree before online classes

existed. While my family owned a computer it was typically used as a fancy typewriter.

The university I attended was just getting into the idea that they could and should provide

computers for the student use. However, an internet connection did not exist in either

location. Today, conversely, in 2019 I am earning a graduate degree all online. I own

multiple devices and would never consider leaving my house without at least one of

them. I would not be able to do my job without a laptop, multiple desktops, Apple TV,

iPhone and iPad and I certainly would not be able to go to school online without them

either. In fact, the three people who currently live in my home, my husband, me and our

youngest daughter, all have our own laptops, iPhones and iPads. We have two printers
and an Apple TV that we share. Our internet connection never seems fast enough and we

are always upgrading our hardware and software. It really is quite amazing how we have

all come to completely rely upon our devices and internet connections. Another concept

explored in the research is the idea that students need to be digitally literate. I think many

people believe that anyone in their mid twenties or younger should be completely literate

in all things digital, however as the research found, many are not. This leaves the burden

to the educators to fill the gaps. I believe that this concept is the most important for

educators to understand. While we may want to believe that all of our students are more

than competent and completely knowledgeable in all things tech, we need to remember

that many are not and that it is up to us to assist them as they learn to navigate through

new software and hardware the same way we would help them learn our course content.

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:
Busteed, B. (2019, March 5). Online Education: From Good To Better To Best?

Retrieved November 24, 2019, from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2019/03/05/online-education-from-

good-to-better-to-best/#6cf5b64b6912.

Torre, M. J. (2019, June 8). Training Language Professionals to Be Digitally Proficient in

an Undergraduate and Postgraduate Context. Retrieved November 24, 2019, from

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED595326.

Cabi, E., & Kalelioglu, F. (2019, June 30). A Fully Online Course Experience from

Students' Perspective: Readiness, Attitudes and Thoughts. Retrieved November

24, 2019, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1221450.

Fox, E. (2019, March 31). Mobile Technology: A Tool to Increase Global Competency

among Higher Education Students. Retrieved November 24, 2019, from

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1214368.

Berry, S. (2019, March 31). The Offline Nature of Online Community: Exploring

Distance Learners' Extracurricular Interactions. Retrieved November 24, 2019,

from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1214397.