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Research Paper Template: What Does The Research Say About Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Education?

The document provides a template for a research paper on distance education. It includes sections for a literature review, reflection, and references. In the brief literature review provided, it summarizes several sources that discuss potential advantages of distance education, such as increased access and flexibility, but also notes a lack of quality control can be a disadvantage. It presents findings from a study showing test scores were 20% higher on average for students in an online social statistics course compared to a traditional classroom. In the reflection section, the author expresses the opinion that distance education is more suitable for high school, college and higher levels, but face-to-face is preferable for K-8 due to social and developmental needs, with special education being a possible exception

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71 views4 pages

Research Paper Template: What Does The Research Say About Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Education?

The document provides a template for a research paper on distance education. It includes sections for a literature review, reflection, and references. In the brief literature review provided, it summarizes several sources that discuss potential advantages of distance education, such as increased access and flexibility, but also notes a lack of quality control can be a disadvantage. It presents findings from a study showing test scores were 20% higher on average for students in an online social statistics course compared to a traditional classroom. In the reflection section, the author expresses the opinion that distance education is more suitable for high school, college and higher levels, but face-to-face is preferable for K-8 due to social and developmental needs, with special education being a possible exception

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RESEARCH PAPER TEMPLATE

North American University


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

Yeliz Tuna

Date: Oct, 31, 2015

Topic Selected:

What does the research say about advantages and disadvantages of


distance education?

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:


The potential advantages of distance education are easy to appreciate. These
include, among others, the ability to reach learners in geographically remote locations or
those in circumstances that mitigate against attendance at regular and traditional hours;
the potential to reach many types of nontraditional students; and most importantly, the
opportunity for students to work and learn at a style and pace most consistent with their
own mental and physical constitutions. The disadvantages of distance education are not
as readily apparent, although they are becoming much more evident as implementation
spreads across the country and across the world. One of the most serious of these
problems is a lack of attention to educational quality control issues. The disadvantages
of distance education are not as readily apparent, although they are becoming much
more evident as implementation spreads across the country and across the world. One
of the most serious of these problems is a lack of attention to educational quality control
issues
In their recent book, Building a Web-Based Education System, Colin McCormack
and David Jones--professors of information and computing systems--point to hundreds
of anecdotal case studies and scholarly surveys suggesting that distance education is

more successful than the large survey courses at many public colleges and universities.
For example, the sociologist Jerald G. Schutte, of California State University at
Northridge, reports (http://www.csun.edu/sociology/virexp.htm) that he randomly divided
students in a social-statistics course into two groups, one that was taught in a traditional
classroom and the other entirely on line: Test scores on both the midterm and the final
examinations were an average of 20 per cent higher for those in the on-line course.
Schutte also notes that students in distance-education courses say they have more peer
contact with others in the class, spend more time on class work, understand the material
better, and enjoy it more.
Kearsley also suggests that distance education minimizes the prejudice that often
arises in face-to-face settings. Unless someone deliberately reveals personal
information, participants have no idea about the age, gender, ethnic background, or
physical characteristics of others on line. The discussions that ensue are about as free
of socio-cultural bias as possible. Distance education, in short, can be more stimulating,
and encourage more critical reasoning, than the traditional large lecture class, because it
allows the kind of interaction that takes place most fully in small-group setting.

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:
Distant education is getting more popular day by day. There are so many different
programs such as online K-12 schools, online undergrad, and master and doctored
degree programs. When we talking about the quality of the programs or advantages and
disadvantages, we can talk about in different perspectives. In my opinion, I favor the
online programs for high school, college level or higher courses. I believe that students
have to socialize and learn from their peers. Some of the skills cannot be learn from the
book or any resources. It requires personal experiences. To illustrate that, conflict
resolution. If we do not give the skills require them to solve when they are in their early
ages, they will face with so many tackles and problems. Not all the jobs that they will find
can be done online or without human interaction. Therefore, I strongly suggest face to
face education for K-8 settings. Moreover, some of the skills cannot be learn from
computer base programs. It requires students to work by themselves such as their motor
skills. When they are learning writing, it requires them to work on the paper and they
need individual guidance and help while they are working on their assignments. They
cannot get proper help online. In addition to that, they need their parents help for some
of the activities but not all parents have the skill sets that can help their students. There
is only one case that I believe distant education can be beneficial or possible for
elementary and middle school which is special education settings. Students can get
proper modifications and accommodations from the online support therefore, they will

not get behind.


On the other hand, distant learning can be beneficial for the high school and
college students. One of the most important advantages is not all schools can offer the
courses that students want to take. However, with the help of the online programs, they
can get the course that they want to take. That helps them to reach their goals faster.
For example, AP courses or dual credit courses. Student can easily get these courses
online and get credit for it. Moreover, distant learning programs can be a better choice
for the students who need help for credit recovery. Student need help for different
courses, sometimes, schools they do not have capacity to offer the course that they
have to take to graduate. They have to wait and lose time. With the online programs,
they can complete the course and get the credit that they are looking for.
Especially for the online college, master and graduate school programs are
beneficial for the full time working students. Going to traditional school is not easy or
suitable. They can get the degree by going to online programs. They can follow their
own schedule and past to complete the course works and assignments to get their
degrees. Like myself, I am trying to get my master degree online. I have 2 kids to take
care of. That is not easy for me to go to school regularly face to face. I can do my
assignments whenever I am available. I am planning to complete my degree and
continue to my education as much as possible.
For educators, distant learning can be useful to complete necessary trainings. It
is not easy to go to training face to face when you have classes. You cannot get
permission or time to go the trainings that are required or want to go. You can take
online trainings whenever you are available without giving any hassle to anyone. In
addition to that, online trainings are cheaper and faster. For example, gifted and talented
courses. It is required for the teachers to get 6 hour refresher every year and 30 hour
course once if you want to be gifted and talented trained teacher to serve the students. It
requires at least a week out from the school. Either you can do during summer or
weekends. I personally prefer online version so I can complete the courses whenever I
want and available. I believe that can be true for most of the teachers.

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:

Maddux, C. 1., Ewing-Taylor, J., & Johnson, D. L. (2002). The


Light and Dark Sides of Distance Education. Computers In
The Schools, 19(3/4), 1-7.
Trinkle, D. 1. (1999). Distance education: a means to an end,
no more, no less. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 45(48), A60.
Thomas, J. J. (2004). COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES AND

DISTANCE EDUCATION EXTEND OPPORTUNITIES FOR


PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
Career Planning & Adult Development Journal, 20(2), 31-35.
Distance education is possibility for ABA's future legal training.
(1999). Lifelong Learning Market Report, 4(21), 4
Lacina-Gifford, L, & Kher-Durlabhji, N 1996, 'Preparing to
teach a class by Internet', College Teaching, 44, pp. 94-95,
Education Source, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 November 2015.

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